Death and Life
by Aenea Endymion
Summary: One of the crew members has to deal with the issues of Death and Life...and the crew is again confronted with the heir of the insect wars and His Shadow. MASSIVE UPDATE! Added new chapters 33 to 40. I really appreciate your reviews!
1. Epilogue

**Death and life**

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Epilogue

Xev lay in her big, circular bed on board the Lexx. She slept and dreamt for the thousandth time of Kai. The only man in her life she was really addicted to. Her love was very one-sided, because Kai was dead. For this reason he was incapable to feel - or to show only the slightest reaction to her sometime really desperate efforts to worm some out of him.

In her dreams now, he was maximum alive, and in her fantasy, she acted out everything what wasn't possible in her reality.

A smile appeared on her face and she snuggled deeper in her silken pillows and blankets. She pulled a pillow closer to her and embraced it tightly. In her dream it was Kai. Smiling she whispered his name and wanted to kiss him – but, as always at this point, her dream faded away and she woke up. Disappointed, Xev opened her eyes when the cold reality hit her, a reality cold as Kais body really was. She struggled with her blankets and put them away with a sigh. Slowly, she dressed herself, her thoughts far away in her recent erotic dream. It was one of the few things that kept her hope up, the hope that her dream would come true anytime.

Hope – could there be any for her? For Kai? Sometime, maybe, but until that day would come, she was doomed to wait. Xev left her chamber, she decided to go to the bridge, and maybe there were news, which distract her a bit. But her feelings directed her to the cryochamber first, automatically.

The chamber was quiet. Only the constant humming of the cryo-units was hearable. It was very cold here, and Xev shivered a little, the clusterlizard inside her didn't like the cold.

One of the cryopods was occupied and she stopped in front of it. Inside laid a black clad figure, apparently sleeping peaceful and calm. Xev often stopped by to talk to her deep frozen love, to clear up her feelings. It was easier when he was frozen and sleeping than awake. She couldn't expect any reaction in one way or the other, so it was less painful if he wasn´t wake.

Sometimes she only stared at him and was lost in reverie. Kai was a very attractive man, the paleness of his skin stood in deep contrast to his black clothes and the raven black hair, which was stuck together in a complicate bun on his head, except for his lovelock at the left side and the braid on the back. Xev´s eyes searched his face, but his expression was calm. Nearly peaceful she thought. Her gaze wandered over his right cheek, where the burgundy tattoo was. Both, the hair and his tattoo were so unique for his people – the BrunnenG. Kai once had explained her that the tattoo marked the way of his people from the DarkZone into the LightZone. Many thousand years were gone since that day. The BrunnenG had been abolished, like so many other people destroyed by the hands of His Divine Shadow. Kai was the last one alive – well, existing was the more correct word. In physically meaning Kai was dead, killed in action during the last heroic battle between the BrunnenG and the armies of His Divine Shadow. Kai´s destiny had been sealed this day, an unimaginable, inhuman destiny. As last of his people, he had been killed by the hands of His Shadow himself. His soul and memories were stolen as well, everything that Kai once was had been wiped out in one merciless moment. But that hadn't been the end. His Shadow, as the insect he was, hated everything human, especially the BrunnenG, which once had destroyed his own race thousands of years ago. He wanted revenge…he wanted to punish Kai´s people beyond their death. Kais body had been taken to the Cluster, to the bioscholars, who changed him into an unstoppable, indestructible killing machine. He became the leading assassin of His Divine Shadow and all successors for 2000 years - an instrument of horror, a dark legend among all those other assassins. He killed and he tortured all of His Shadow's enemies, without asking – without calling it into question. As the mindless assassin he had been, he followed the orders of his Shadow without hesitation. Until the day he had met them and got his memories back.

Xev wiped a tear from her eye. How many wrongs can be done to a single human being? Every one of them had his own sad story, but in Xevs opinion, Kais destiny was the teariest. 2000 years doomed to murder, no volition, no soul, no memories, far longer no feelings, no wants. His condition now was better, but far from being a fair existence. It was her deepest wish that he could be alive some day. It must be possible to unban him anytime – without

annihilating his existence. "Oh, Kai", she whispered. "I wished that my hope will fulfill itself, you don't deserve that!" Xev painted a small heart at the frozen top of the cryopod. "Life – and death, can be so unfair sometimes!" After a while she turned full of sadness and continued her way to the bridge.


	2. A small incident surrounded by boredom

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 1

A small incident surrounded by boredom

They hadn't stopped since three weeks. There were no news, nothing to explore. This edge of the universe seemed to be really empty. Uninhabited planets, civilizations long gone. The last time Xev, Stan and Kai had been together, was when the Lexx had received an emergency call. It had come from a space station, orbiting around a little brown-green planet, as they discovered soon. Xev remembered the desperate people there. They were scientists and researchers working on the space station. Their work went out of control, when a super virus had been created in one of their bio labs. Within a few hours it had infected and killed half of the people there. The other half had fled to a secure sector of the station and survived. After their government had refused to let them return to the planet, although they were not infected, it had been the only possibility to set an emergency call and wait for help. A slim hope – but the only one. It was obviously that the government had shirked responsibility and so, it had abandoned the people on the station to their fate. The Lexx now, received the emergency call, but Stan wasn't very enthusiastic when he heard the reason for the emergency. He wasn´t in the mood to get infected with a virus and would have continued their flight immediately – if Xev hadn't "convinced" him very fast of the opposite. She had argued with him that it was better to help those poor people, and besides, they could send Kai to evacuate them. A virus wouldn't have any effect on him. Xev had to smile when she thought about Stan´s growling agreement.

They finally evacuated the relieved scientists back to their home planet. The government wasn´t amused and tried to anticipate their efforts. An exasperated Stan stopped the arguing very soon. He threatened to destroy the parliament building with Lexx´s immense firepower. That was too much for the government, and they gave in.

Kai inspected the station during that time and gave advice to destroy it – with it the virus with all its danger. The Lexx solved the problem within seconds.

The scientists had been so happy that they invited them to stay for a while. They gave them fresh food supply and everything they needed. It was the time when Stan finally melted – and of course – the whole rescue action had been his idea from the beginning. Both, Xev and Stan were happy that they could eat real food again after such a long time. They both were sick of the green goo produced by the Lexx. Kai was dead, so he needn't any food at all. He returned into cryostasis right after the inspection. It disappointed Xev, but two days full of best food and entertainment lifted her mood a bit, even though the sadness remained about the fact that Kai would never participate in something simple than sharing fun with each other.

Then, they continued their way.

This had been three weeks ago. Three weeks of slowly trickling time and pure boredom. Xev reached the bridge and 790 greeted her loudly: "There she is – the dream of my sleepless nights – my beauty queen!" Stan, who had fallen asleep in his commando stand, blinked and growled annoyed: "Shut up, you ugly, pertly tin head. I need my sleep!" "I wished it would last forever…" answered 790 and bared his digital teeth. Xev sighed and asked herself why she had come here. After her sweet dream and the heavy thoughts in the cryochamber she felt a little swamped with those squabblers. " Is there no day without arguing?" she asked. "Uh-oh, hi Xev!" Stan sat up a bit. "I would stop, if he delivers himself into space…" 790 announced malicious. "Now, I wouldn't do that … but I could throw _you_ into space …" Stan gnashed. "Stop it, both of you!" Xev interrupted. "News?" Stan shook his head. "Nope, a med-station, six uninhabited planet-systems. Not really exciting, isn't it?" Xev sighed again: "Alright, I think I'll take a shower then…!" "Take me with you, my delicious likable flower!" 790 begged. "No, no way…" That would be the last thing she needed – 790 observing her under the shower. "Please, pleeease Xevvv…" 790 cried digital tears. Xev shook her head and was just about to answer when a loud crash ringed through the Lexx. She looked astonished and inquiring at Stan: "What was that?" "It came from the cryochamber," he remarked. Xev froze for a second, then she whirled around: "Kai!" She stormed off the bridge.


	3. Awakening

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 2

Awakening

When Xev had left the cryochamber minutes ago, she already had been to far away to hear the waking sequence of Kais cryopod. Kai had programmed the system in a kind, that Xev, Stan and even the Lexx could wake him every time if necessary. And with the modified time-slice-programming he could check at his comrades from time to time on his own, for the case they ever get into trouble and had no chance to reanimate him.

But this time, none of these cases happened. It had been the system control of the pods, which initiated the wakening sequence itself. The system control was programmed to register every change in the bio values of its inhabitant, if there were unusual changes it had the order to initiate the waking sequence immediately. In Kais opinion there was no need to control his condition, as he lacks the required bio values, but Xev insisted on it and reminded him that some parts of his brain were still functional. Besides – one never know! Kai had finally given in. After all, it seemed that Xev´s stubbornness paid off. The system registered irregularities with his brain activity and initiated the waking sequence.

Cold…it was unbelievable cold. Far to cold to breathe. Every try resulted with a burning in the lungs. Breathing. He remembered.

Breathing?

Why should he do that?

Wasn't he long dead?

His thoughts only flowed slowly, they seem to come to him from far, far away. They nearly weren't detectable in his mind.

Coldness.

Anything from far away told him, that it was cold.

Coldness?

Memories of a snowy and icy landscape appeared in his mind. Thoughts were forming itself slowly like a constant flow of ice. It was cold, too cold to move one´s limbs. A chilliness, which…hurts, first of all when you breathe.

Breathing.

Kai opened his eyes.

The dead don't feel coldness. The dead don't feel pain and they certainly didn't breathe! And he was dead since 6000 years!

Did he dream?

No, he hadn't dreamt for 6000 years, too. The dead do not dream.

What happened here?

Completely confused he tried to clear his mind. But that was difficult. A new wave of sensations, he shouldn't have, swept over him.

Confusion. Disorientation.

What was that for a reality he was in? Was it real at all?

Kai recognized the cryochamber and risked a step out of his cryopod. He realized that his movement wasn't as smooth as it should be. He opened his mouth again to draw breath. It ended in a dry cough, but slowly the sharp pain in his lungs faded. He tried to diagnose his condition without success. Only a small part of his microscopic biochemical implants responded to his request. Was he going out of alignment again? That seemed to be the most logically explanation to him – but…there was something different, something strangely different.

His millennia old memories offered him another explanation:

He was able to feel…

Kai´s rational intellect rebelled against that. How could that be? After 6000 years of undead subsistence? From one moment to the other – alive again? He couldn´t believe that. But doesn´t he feel? The pain in his breast, the chilliness on his skin…he _could_ feel that. Kai couldn't deny it. What was happening to him? Kai faltered and crashed against the cryopod. With huge effort he finally sat down at the bottom of his cryopod and covered the head with his arms. A flood of memories swept over him; weird, alien memories of other people, memories of not longer theoretical concepts of emotions…It was to much for him – for his untrained mind. He barely noticed Xev and Stan, when they raced into the room.

Xev was the first who arrived in the cryochamber. Her eyes searched hectically for the cause of the noise she had heard. Finally, she recognized the empty cryopod and at the bottom the dark figure of Kai. "Kai!" she screamed and ran at his side. "What happened to you?"

With sheer willpower he accomplished to concentrate. There was something within him, what hadn´t been there before … sensations … and something more. Kai anticipated anything bit by bit, but he was far from certainty. He had to long been dead for that. He had forgotten what alive really meant.

"Kai? Are you okay?" he heard someone asking through dense fog. Slowly he lifted his head. As he opened his eyes he looked straight into Xev´s anxious face. She knelt in front of him. Kai shook his head. No, nothing was okay.

Xev was extremely worried. Kai was far away from acting normal. She feared protoblood-failure and asked him: "Do you have sufficient protoblood?" Kai closed his eyes half and nodded. This had been one of the first things he had checked on. Xev seemed to be at loss and looked at Stan. "Oh no, don´t ask me! You know what happened the last time he acted…weird!" Xev nodded. But this was different. She stood up and checked the cryopod control. Several lights were glowing red. "Do you know what that mean, Stan?" she asked. Stan joined her and checked the system again: "Hm, no idea, really. I´m not aware of any similar case. But none of us woke him, the time-slice has four days to go. I can´t detect any malfunction. Must be the system control, which initiated the waking sequence." Xev´s face turned reflective and she looked back at Kai. "Do you know the reason the system woke you?" she asked. Kai opened his mouth to talk. "N-o." It sounded terribly rough and hoarse. Kai closed his eyes and tried again. "No." Far better, but it was difficult for him to coordinate breathing and talking, he was unaccustomed to it. Xev frowned and touched his hand apprehensive.

This now, lead to Kai´s first truly visible reaction: He jerked. Xev advanced backward –startled. What was that?

Kai wondered – he had felt her touch! The warmth of her skin let tingle his cold flesh. He held his hand up and looked at it. It was truly different. "I..." he gulped, " I _felt_ that Xev," he looked up into her face, this time with a clear visible expression of astonishment on his face. The only other person showing more amazement was Xev. "You felt?" she asked. "You felt that?" Kai nodded. A chuckle made its way up her throat.

This couldn´t be real – or could it?

But he told her that he had felt it, hadn´t he? And his facial expression! "Kai…" her voice nearly broke. "How…do you feel?" The ex-assassin tilted his head and thought about it for a moment. "Confused…" he looked back at her. "This word should describe my condition as best." Xev tried to stay calm. Kai…felt. Was it a dream? She nipped into her skin. No, this wasn´t a dream. It was real – none of her dreams. She touched her mouth with her hand and tears sprang into her eyes. "Oh boy," she heard Stan say. He leaned on the control-unit and looked at them both. She breathed deeply. Her hands were trembling – all this happened really!

Kai watched her curious. "Are you okay?" Xev burst out laughing. "Sure, I never felt better!" Hear heart beat faster. It was unbelievable. "Maybe 790 could check on him?" suggested Stan. It was obvious that one of them should retain control at least. First of all, if a deadly ex-assassin wasn´t sure what was happening to himself. Xev nodded: "Yes. Yes why not. Kai?" The BrunnenG agreed. With 790´s help they might be able to diagnose his condition more dependable. His own system diagnose was no help any longer. His most important systems were still running, the protoblood supply for example, but the question was, how long would it last? Kai didn´t note that he suddenly tipped to one side and lost consciousness. His mind needed a downtime – It was all too much for him.

Xev appalled and held him. "Kai?" she asked anxiously. But he showed no reaction. Xev laid him down on the floor and touched his cheek softly. She frowned, did she err or was he really a little warmer than usual? Stan returned with 790 and put him onto the cryounit control. "It´s better when we check him…he isn´t acting normal!" Xev nodded absent. "790?" "Yes my sweetheart?" "Please check Kai, okay?" "Must I?" the robot head asked unwillingly. "Yes, you must. Stan, please help me to put Kai back into his cryopod. I want to know what´s wrong with him!" "Are you sure tin-head is able to find out what happened to him?" asked Stan niggling. "You ugly fourth class protein bag! Of all things you must questioning that? You, who isn´t able to cope with his everyday life? Grrrr…" 790 was pissed. Xev rolled her eyes. "Stop it! We have more important things to do!" Stan poked his tongue out at 790 and assisted Xev by moving Kai from the floor back into his cryopod. "Do only I think so, or is he really less heavy than before?" Xev was confused. Normally Kai was very heavy – in consequence of decarbonisation. She stroked some of her ringlets back. "790?" A holographic picture of Kai´s body appeared on the console, when 790 started to scan Kai´s body functions. He started with the brain, compared the new data with older information he had saved on his memory chip. He mumbled and muttered. In his opinion it would be better if nothing would change with the saved information, if this dead one would stay dead! Then only Stan would remain to be rid off, before he could finally be alone with his love – Xev. A very savory imagination! He mumbled on, but no, he had to check this inanimate piece of flesh. Admittedly…hm…790 was confused a bit, after he compared scan after scan, he seemed to be less dead than he had been before. The old data in his memory showed no activity in his limbic and primitive brain. Only parts of his cortex had shown some activity. But he had to actualize his data. This wasn´t the fact any longer. "Now, what is it?" asked a highly impatient Xev with truly visible fear for Kai´s well-being. "I´m detecting some changes…let me say…explicit changes, to be honest." "What for…changes?" Stan wanted to know. He still wasn´t sure what he should think about all. 790 rolled his eyes, instead of an answer he projected an old scan and the brand-new scan next to each other onto the console. One of the scans stayed mainly dark, only few regions were glowing orange, the color for activity. But the second scan was very different. It was completely colored orange. "What does it mean?" asked Xev. "Give me a kiss – and I´ll let you know!" 790 looked amorously at her. Xev sighed, sometimes he could really be a pain in the ass. But she wasn´t in the mood to argue with him. "If you want…" She bent forward and gave him a quick kiss on his metal surface. "Oh my dear, my love pumpkin!" 790 rolled his eyes ecstatically. "And…?" she pushed. "His brain is fully functional now, what describes his ability to feel…this parts weren´t definitely functional before!" Xev looked from the holographic images to Kai, then back to 790. "You mean he is…?" "…alive?" 790 continued. "Yes, unfortunately, it can be described in that way. Anyhow, I´m the only one who loves you!" "How is that possible?" asked Stan curiously. Xev had held her breath when she listened to 790´s diagnose. This was the acknowledgment! Her heart started to beat faster. "What´s with his other body functions, 790?" "If you´re interested in that minor important information…" answered 790 bored and started to scan the whole body of the BrunnenG, comparing the new scans with the old ones. Columns of data flickered over the holoimage. "I detect some insignificant changes. Because of his altered body I haven´t had any significant data until now. But I can detect some changes in his protoblood structure." "What do you mean with _changes_?" Xev wanted to know. Stan bent forward and looked curiously at the holoimage. "The structure is changing on a cellular/molecular level. Maybe a virus. Whatever exactly it is, it is highly aggressive and changes the structure very fast. We can see the results on his brain and I suspect that it will affect his body as well. Recarbonisation is only one effect." "A virus?" asked Stan. "Maybe _the_ virus he came in contact with on this space station?" Stan shrank back. "I hope he won´t infect us!" "Is there any risk for an infection for us. 790?" Xev demanded to know. "No, the potential virus is absorbed by the protoblood and was isolated there. But if Tweedle feared an infection, he could sterilize himself in space…" 790 grinned malicious. "For some this virus means death – for him it maybe means life!" Xev whispered. "What will happen to him now?" "I assume by means of my data, that the infected blood will spread all over his body, once he had left cryostasis. That means that a possible regeneration/transformation of his body is in full activity. To express it in rough words." "And what will happen to his non-biological parts?" she asked on. "His body will repel them." "Does this process mean any harm to him?" "Potentially. If you still have use of him, I would advise to remove those parts." 790 grinned through gritted teeth. He already knew Xev´s answer. But what should he do? To deny any help meant to hurt her. And this was out of the question, he couldn´t do that! "Of course…" she started. "Ahhh…. Xev," Stan interrupted her, "You´re talking about a surgery. Don´t you think that this might be a number to big for us?" "Not for us, 790 and the protein-regenerator." Xev was hell-bent about it. "Asides from that, his body isn´t still that alive. If we remove his equipment , we are not going to damage him seriously. He will recover with the help of the protein regenerator when his body will contain protein again." "Nevertheless, you can strike my name off the list. I have my problems with – surgeries." Stan agitated. Xev growled: "You won´t sneak out of it, won´t you? Or let him down? Now that he could need your help? After all, he had saved your ass often enough!" Stan cleared his throat: "Hmm, now, see…" The snarl turned into a suspicious lizard growl. "I´ll do my best," he agreed finally. "Alright, 790, when do you think he will reach the point we can start?" "I´m not sure, hours, maybe days…it depends on the speed of the process." "Good, you observe him, 790, otherwise we have to wait, what else should we do?" Xev sighed. Stan nodded: "I´m looking for some tools for the surgery. We can´t do it with our fingers only!" "Thank you Stan…" she smiled grateful. "It´s okay," he mumbled and walked out. 790 shut himself into diagnose/observation mode and Xev wanted to leave, too, when she recognized a small movement.


	4. First steps

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 3

First steps

Kai stirred again and regained consciousness. His emotions were sharper and more concrete now, a lot less chaotic. Unconsciousness had been a true release after this shock.

He realigned himself and a new strange sensation crept into his mind. He felt weak, shiftless. Slowly he opened his eyes and found himself back in his open cryopod. The robot head stood on the control-unit and, judging from the data columns in his digital eyes, was diagnosing something. Kai groaned a little: "What happened?" he asked unstable. Xev, who had turned around a second before, stepped back. She appeared in his focus, a mixture of fear, delight and worry on her face. In short words, she explained him 790´s diagnose. " That…avowed a lot," he commented after she had finished. He looked at her for a moment until Xev got embarrassed and dropped her gaze to the floor. Kai stepped forward carefully and left the cryopod. This small movement was already enough to let him got dizzy, and he faltered again. Xev noticed it and supported him immediately. She helped him to sit down at the bottom of the cryopod. Kai closed his eyes for a moment, after he had felt her touch again. It was a truly strange sensation to feel another ones touch. It was in some way…comfortable to feel warmth in this cold room. Xev let finally go of him, hesitating, because she wasn´t sure if it was agreeable for him to be touched. Kai noticed it and took her hand before she could draw it back completely. Xev froze when she felt his hands wrapping hers. She looked at him inquiring and wide-eyed. "Your skin…is…warm," his fingers stroked over the back of her hand, whilst her palm rested on his other hand. Xev closed her eyes and prayed that she won´t lose self-control. To be touched in this way by Kai, let act up her hormones. Her feelings whirled around.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again – looked directly in his! Xev thought for a moment that she would pass out, but of course, that didn´t happen.

Kai didn´t miss Xev´s reaction. He must have been blind not to notice how she reacted to his proximity. When he moved carefully through his chaotic sensations, he was able to feel something not unknown to him. He had experienced exactly the same a long time ago – in another life. Kai swallowed as it became clear to him, that his presence on board the Lexx had been more than using his free will to protect Stan and Xev. There had been and still was more…but it eluded him, every time he tried to find out what. He felt something…for this woman… something beyond the simple task to protect her. He examined her eyes - the bright vivid green of her eyes reminded him to the fact that she had always been the liveliest person of the crew - her facial expression, bothered to hide her true feelings she had this moment. But Kai already knew them, remembered them. Regret crept into his feelings. She never had stopped loving him. Against all reason. The dead do not love. And the living? he asked himself. Xev was more than an appealing woman, one you can´t cut down to her outwardness. And she caused sensations within him, he hadn´t been able to feel for thousands of years. The last time he had felt them - Kai´s innermost tensed when the image of his first love showed up – had been the day when he told her goodbye. He once had loved and was loved, with a force that often amazed himself. And now it was back, this intense sensation like a crackling in the air. Kai let go of her hand. It was unbelievable that he missed something at once.

Xev thought that she would lose herself in his eyes. She felt as if he was able to look into the deepest depths of her soul. His gaze enthralled her and she first woke up when he unclasped her hand. Xev sighed inwardly, she still could feel his touch. She had loved him from the very beginning, when she first laid eyes on him – but now, as she saw his usual impassible indifference fading, she fell hopelessly in love with him. She lifted her hand and touched his cheek, relieved when he didn´t draw back. Her fingers traced his cheekbone and stroke over his lovelock.

Kai tilted his head and closed his eyes. The sensation overwhelmed him. Now he knew what she must have felt when he had touched her unintentionally…He now understood. It must have been hell for Xev when he never responded. The dead do not feel. Kai felt sorry, poor Xev, he must mean a lot to her if she was up to endure that - it must had been like a constant attack against a growler.

"I´m sorry Xev!" he whispered. He simply had to say that. The emotion that pushed him was strong. Xev looked astonished at him, took hold of his hands again. "What for?" "For my incompetence to feel, I…hurt you a lot…" he said. "I´m beginning to…understand."

To be disapproved had been something she had to go through her whole life, he hadn´t made an exception. This hurt him, because…actually he liked her a lot. Kai lowered his head.

Xev was surprised, but she sensed how he must feel, but was he able to help it? Needless to say that he had hurt her a lot, but the fault was with those who made him what he had been for such a long time. Xev bent forward and put her hand under his chin. Slowly she lifted his head. Now or never … she wanted to tell him what she felt. She had done this often, but now there was a slim chance for a reaction…also she was afraid. "I have loved you from the first day we met, Kai. It kept me going, I never gave up hope. I never had many wishes in my life, only one…that you were alive again…!" Xev gulped, a tear ran down her cheek. And that you would love me as well she continued in her thoughts. "I was happy for every day you were around, woke and near me," she finally said.

He could see the teary mist in her eyes, behind it her love, her hope and her fear too, the fear of new refusal. But he wanted to take her fear away, there was no need for it any longer. He might have been incapable for emotions for 6000 years, but this was over now. He reached out to pull her into his arms.

Xev started to tremble for a second, when she felt his arms surrounding her waist, but then she felt the rough fabric of his clothes next to her cheek and she realized that it was really true.

Xev sighed deeply, she admitted the hope that he might like her. Maybe more. When she felt his arms around her, it sank in that she needed him badly. No one had ever embraced her like this. She felt secure and salvaged, something she had missed her whole life.

Kai felt steadied, his mind cleared up a bit more and he took a deep breath. He felt the warmth of her soft body and sensed her pleasant fragrance. It was…he hesitated…similar to what once had been.

Love. Only one simple word - but feelings so strong. He now couldn´t deny that he felt something for Xev. Not as the result of a sense of guilt – it was more, he now was sure about this strong sensation. "Xev…" he softly whispered her name. Had it always been flown so soft from his lips? Xev broke the embrace and looked into his eyes. He smiled slightly, it was the first true smile she saw on his face. She smiled back, examining his beautiful face, his eyes, the smooth structure of his skin, his lips…she didn´t want to wait any longer, so she took her chance…

She bent forward and pulled him closer, then her lips touched his and he got the first kiss in his new life. Xev closed her eyes when he returned the kiss, completely soft.

Inwardly she screamed for desire. Her libido kicked in and she had to reprehend herself sharply. She didn´t want to lose control, although it was difficult for her. The kiss seemed to last an eternity and after a short break, their lips came together once again, both of them curious to repeat this overwhelming experience.

Unfortunately the moment didn´t last any longer. They were interrupted truly unromantic.

790´s voice let them wince: "Let go of my woman, you once dead bastard!" He just wanted to pause his diagnose mode for a moment to look after Xev, and this is what he discovered. 790 wasn´t amused. When Kai and Xev part startled, Stan also came in. He had to grin when he spot the situation. "Does he interrupt you with something?" he asked. "Hrmpf," she growled and stood up, Kai remained on the bottom, he was too groggy to stand. 790 snarled: "Does he hurt you, my darling?" "No, 790, far from it…!" she smiled dreamily down to Kai, who shyly looked aside. Stan shook his head and changed the subject: "I found only a few tools we can use…not very much." He laid it down in front of 790. He looked from Xev to Kai and back again. "What?" she asked, when she noticed his gaze. "Oh, ah, nothing…!" "Never seen anyone kissing?" she asked enervated. "Ahh, yesss," he extended. "Kai for example." Xev rolled her eyes and Kai only knitted his brows. After a moment of awkward silence, Xev picked up Stans commentary about the tools. "We have to do the surgery here?" she asked. "Yes, I can´t guess any better place." Stan answered. "Ok. Kai?" she lowered herself down to him. He looked inquiring at her. With anxiety in her face, she asked: "Are you ready for a surgery if the time is near?" "I do not have any choice, do I? The implants have to be removed. Most of my equipment has failed when I left cryostasis," he explained. "Like on fire?" "No, it´s different. I´m not out of…alignment if you mean that, but I´m not able to communicate with 90 of my mechanical devices. It seemed that they were shut down when they came in contact with my infected protoblood. The few information I still can receive, tells me that a complete system failure isn´t far. We do not have much time. I do also feel pain where my implants are located. 790´s assumption is right, it seems that my body want to get rid off this mechanical devices." Xev understood, Kai´s situation wasn´t very comfortable, she could imagine that. "We will drug you, you won´t feel any pain…" Kai nodded slowly. He felt far more pain he admitted so far. He was still able to control himself, but only because of the few biomechanical systems, which were still in alignment. Still. How he had said, time was running down. His main system control was designed to function under major damage as well – but everything has a limit. He was never designed to life! Troubled he heaved himself up. Xev was at his side at once and supported him. With a sigh he leaned back into his cryopod. "I assume that we still have some time until you can start the …surgery. I suggest that you lay down to relax. 790 can observe me and call you if something is wrong," he proposed. Xev hesitated, she wouldn´t leave him alone. "Go," he smiled, but it acted a bit agonized. She gave in after a moment. "790, check on him and call me immediately if anything changes, yes?" "Yes my luscious dish, I´ll keep my eyes peeled!" 790 tried to look threatening, but he really couldn´t convince anyone with it. "Ok, I lay down," Xev kissed Kai once again before she left. Stan wanted to follow her. "Stanley?" Kai held Stan back. "Mh?" "Thank you!" "What for?" Stan asked surprised. "For supporting Xev. For being there for her, when I couldn´t!" Stan dropped his gaze shyly to the floor. He never expected that someone would ever thank him for anything. "Yeah, you know…family…we´re like a family, don´t you think? And it´s normal to care about each other, isn´t it?" Kai nodded. A strange kind of family maybe, but they only had each other and the ship. "Promise me, if something… goes wrong…keep an eye on her!" His question wasn´t causeless, because he wasn´t sure if everything would go as smooth as Xev imagined, so what choice does he have? Like Stan had said, they were a family. "Kai? Something wrong?" Stan thought he misheard. Kai sighed. There was a lot not alright. "Just promise me, Stan!" Stan still looked skeptic. He knew that the surgery was a big risk, but that Kai bargained for the worst… But after a moment he agreed and nodded. "I promise, but no guarantee that Xev is happy about it. You know her…!" "I do," Kai smiled. "But it…but I _feel_ better if I know that you´re there for her." Stan smiled back: "I´ll be. I think…I´m going to eat something now, I´m not sure that I will get a chance for that later…or that I´m able to eat right after…" Stan walked to the exit, turned around for a last time and said: "We will succeed, don´t worry…!" Then he vanished into the dark corridor.

Kai was alone. 790 had shut down into diagnose mode, he wasn´t in the mood to talk to any competition at Xev´s love. So there was no one he could talk to, not that he regretted it, he was relieved to be alone for a while. He looked at the holoimage. More and more parts were colored orange. His pain was equally rising with the process. It was strange to feel pain again. His body was fighting more and more against those foreign matters, foreign matters which had kept him going for 6000 years.

Suddenly, memories peeked through his mind, sharper and clearer than anything before. Memories full of pain, fear and death. He experienced again the final battle against His Shadow.

He saw his home world perish in fire, again he heard the outcry of millions of BrunnenG, dying in the twinkling of an eye. All of them died, except for him. He had been the last of them to die. There, on the bridge of the Foreshadow he laid. Paralyzed with pain, he could express his hatred and rage with few words and gazes only – before he was killed by His Divine Shadow. Kai groaned, as he remembered the moment when the cold metal of His Shadows knife penetrated his body. The next moment everything exploded in pain – then, darkness surrounded him. In the past he had died, here and now, Kai lost his consciousness. The changing process of his body doubled its speed, time was really running down now. 790 registered it only a few seconds later. He started to scream. "Xevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv, the former dead assassin is waiting for the surgery!"


	5. Changes

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 4

Changes

Xev just had slept for half an hour, when she heard 790 screaming. Without hesitation she raced back to the cryochamber. Stan joined her a second later. Xev realized Kai´s collapsed body, and his unconsciousness. Xev took a deep breath. It was time. "790? Please narcotize him!" "Why? He _is_ sleeping!" he objected. "790. You know exactly that the is unconscious, and if I start to remove his equipment he will wake up because of the pain!" "Not so bad at all…" growled the robot head, but he activated the anaesthetic gas. "What should I do?" asked Stan. "Could you arrange our tools?" Xev shivered when she thought about those few useful tools for the surgery. "…and Stan…?" "Yes?" he turned around. " Thanks for helping!" she smiled sweetly. "Have heard the same not long ago…" he muttered and smiled back. "You´re welcome!" He started to arrange the tools on the cryopod control unit.

Xev checked on Kai, if he really was narcotized and began to take off his clothes. "Wait, I´ll help you!" Stan hurried at her side, when he saw how she struggled with holding him and removing his jacket at the same time. He held Kai in place, whilst Xev opened the zipper on the back. "Thanks Stan, that´s how it works!" She removed the jacket and Stan laid him back. Xev put the jacket aside, it was a heavy fabric; she remembered the last time she took it off, when Kai went out of alignment. It had been the first time she had seen Kai without clothes. His muscular and strong body fascinated her, although the mechanical devices disfigured parts of his otherwise handsome body. They really had scared her a bit. She once again was very attracted to him and suppressed the urge to touch him. Xev concentrated on her work.

First of all she looked closer to his protoblood supply. The pump was inserted where his heart once had been. From there, she had to remove all of its connections to the other implants in his body. Most of them were on his left side, the functions of them were unknown to her. She detected, that his skin turned to a more natural color than the pale and grayish color it had before. Also, it showed damage where the implants were embedded. Xev touched the savvy skin, it started to bleed immediately, a weird combination of orange protoblood and red human blood. The time had come. Xev looked into the unconscious BrunnenG´s face and gave him a quick kiss: "I´ll start now, fingers-crossed that we´ll do it!" she whispered. "Stan, knife, gripper," she ordered. Stanley looked over his careful arranged tools and picked out what she demanded for. Then Xev started, under 790´s guidance of course, making her way all through his many implants.

Hour by hour went by. The protein-regenerator was at full speed. More and more electrodes were connected with Kais body. Xev worked obsessively to free him of this biomechanical junk , how Stan named it. She reached his legs. When she removed his pants to get access to his most delicate part, she was surprised. When she had removed the rods from his control unit on Fire, she had been sure that the bioscholars had removed a certain highly important part of him. But she was at fault. Fortunately they hadn´t removed anything irreplaceable. She assumed that Kai wasn´t sure about that fact as well. How should he know about certain parts of his body? The dead do not undress and look at themselves in the mirror.

At last she removed the complete weapon system from his right arm. The deadly weapon lost its horror when she held it useless in her hand. Xev shivered when she thought about all those people killed with it. She didn´t know how many he had killed, but it must have been some hundred thousand. 2000 years had been a long time, even for an undead assassin. Xev sighed and put the weapon away. She looked into Kais face. It was keen, but he slept deep and firm. She remembered the implant in his head, attached to his brain. She knew that she couldn´t remove it, the risk of a lasting damage was too high. To repair an injured brain it needed more than a protein regenerator. So she let it where it was. It might be a weakpoint, because of the programming, but it needed someone like Brizon to endanger him, because he had known who he was. Xev attached the last electrodes to Kais arm, and then she was finished. "That´s it!" she sighed heavily. Stan put the tools together to clean them later. He had observed the holoimage during the surgery and had assisted Xev. A huge part of Kais body gleamed orange now, where the infected protoblood had already activated the regeneration of his body. There was sufficient protein now to heal all injuries with the protein-regenerator. The remaining protoblood would continue the process of transmutation. There couldn´t be done else but waiting. Waiting until every injury was healed. Xev nodded, she had made a good job of it. She caressed his body lovingly with her eyes. It hurt her to see him injured like that. The open wounds still bled, he looked as if someone had tried to slaughter him. It was senseless to wipe the blood away, there was always new blood spilling out of his wounds, so she gave in. Of course, it was a reason to touch his wonderful body, but she knew what effect it has on her. She wondered if Kai knew, how he came across as, especially to women. Maybe he had, before he died.

"I´ll take a shower Stan, I´m really beat…" she said. "Yes, we must have been hours in here!" Stanley moaned. "Six hours, forty-two minutes and thirty-six seconds," commented 790. "Should I watch him?" he asked niggling. "Yes, would be kind of you 790!" Xev smiled and pat him. "But only because of you!" growled the robot head. "Thanks. See you later Stan!" "See…" he yawned, "…you later, I´ll go to bed." They both left the cryochamber.

Xev dropped her clothes to the floor and went under the strange trunk, which spread clear, warm water over her, after she had activated the shower. Now she realized how exhausting the last hours had been. But she pushed it aside when she thought of the minutes together with Kai. She smiled and her thoughts whirled when she remembered. Kai was alive – and he felt! And he seemed to like her. She couldn´t believe it. Her heart beat twice as fast when she remembered the kiss he had returned so passionately to her in the end. Kai felt – and he would be alive again – truly alive! She couldn´t repeat it often enough. Would they use the opportunity to get together? Would he use the chance to live his life now – this life, which had once been stolen so cruel? Could he love again? Xev deeply hoped for that. Life and love was something she had been designed for. And nobody else was able to match her better than Kai. His people once had been full of love and life – otherwise no one would have called them a race of romantic warriors . And she knew that Kai truly had been one of them – before he… Xev froze. It wasn´t everything he had been. He still had another past, a violent and murderous past. He may haven´t had any conscience and conscious for 2000 years, when he had killed countless people, but now he was able to feel again, his soul had returned to him – what would that mean for him now? Will he drown in a sense of guilt? How will he think about his past? Will he be able to realize that he only had been an instrument of His Shadow, with no will of his own? Xev couldn´t hardly imagine what for a burden he had to carry now. More fear crept into her heart. No, there wasn´t only love waiting for him…he had to cope with far more than any other human being in this universe. Was he ready for that? Was she able to support him? Xev started to cry. It would be the best for him not to remember. But she knew that he would … someday. She had killed on her own intension, too. On the med station, when she transformed herself into a clusterlizard. But she wasn´t a cold-blooded killer, she only defended herself and wanted to save Kai. But when she remembered, she felt guilty sometimes. So she had a glimpse idea how he would feel about – with the difference of murdering a lot more people! Xev deactivated the shower and took a towel. I´ll do everything to ease his guilt she thought, whilst drying her beautiful body. Of course, she didn´t know how.

Who can say…only time. And fear now went with it. Xev finished with a sigh and left the shower.

Except for 790, everyone was sleeping now on board the Lexx, at least for a while. The protein-regenerator was working all the time, observed by the robot head. Kais regeneration proceeded, but there were surely a few days to go until he would wake. 790 smote time with a new poem for Xev.

Time went by and his worshipped darling woke up late the next day. Fully relaxed she joined Stan in the galley. He had eaten recently and was on his way to the bridge. "I think, I will check on Lexx, he needs some attention again!" he fancied and held out a plate with goo. "Alright, I´ll go later to check after Kai." Stan nodded and left the galley and Xev ate her goo hungrily.

790 was happy when Xev showed up and greeted her enthusiastic with a new love poem. Xev sighed: "Thank you 790. How does it go?" "Och, always him, what about me? Don´t I deserve a kiss and a praise after all?" 790 was disappointed. Xev smiled: "Of course, thanks for your help!" She gave him a smack onto his left eye . "Ohhhhhh…" 790 sighed and two pulsing hearts appeared in his small eye screens. "My love pumpkin!" Then he remembered her question and answered: "It will take time. Each electrode will loose, if the specific part is completely healed. They then will appear green on the holoimage." Xev determined no such case. But most of the wounds had stopped bleeding. She looked over to Kai and sighed, patience had never been one of her strongest talents. She closed the distance between them and stroke softly over his face. He acted more fraught than before. "He is still narcotized?" she asked worried. "Yes," confirmed 790. Xev nodded relieved. She didn´t want to know him in pain. She kissed him softly. "Get well soon, Kai … we need you…" and I need you badly she added in her thoughts.

Slowly she turned around and collected the tools she had used. She started to clean them, as well as his biomechanical devices she had removed. A few of them were destroyed whilst removing, but maybe they have any other use for them in future. Kai won´t need them any longer, but maybe they could be used as spare parts for the protein regenerator. Kais weapon was the last she cleaned. "Ouch," she murmured, she cut herself with the sharp blade. She examined the deadly object with a closer look. She never had seen it that close, and over her fascination she forgot the sharp blade. After a moment staring at its weird material, she put it away, not together with all the other things, no, she put it in her belt. Then, Xev picked up Kais heap of clothes and decided to get them washed. Not a fault after 6000 years! She knew the material was self-cleaning, but as a signal it would be fine. She wanted to wash away his past, clean it. If that would work on Kai as easy like that! Xev left the chamber after a last long look at his naked body.


	6. Doubts

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 5

Doubts

Time went by very slow. One day followed the other, then, a week was over, finally three. Xev had folded his stuff and laid it on her bed after drying. When she wasn´t visiting Kai in the cryochamber, she stared at his clothes. She sighed, waiting could be so cruel, besides her worries, of course. It already took far too long.

After nearly 25 days, the final electrode loosed and 790´s diagnose program shut down. Regeneration was complete. 790 screamed for Xev: "Xev, my darling…the dead is ready to rise from the dead!" By pure chance she was on the way to step by. "Already here, 790, is he wake?" The robot head sighed inwardly. His delicious Xev was ever the opinion that a finalized process was immediately followed with a reaction. "No, sweetheart, his sleep would last for a moment longer. Until the effect of the anaesthetic gas will vanish." Xev was disappointed, again doomed to wait.

"How is it?" asked a voice from behind. It was Stan, he had heard 790´s bellow, too. "I think it´s okay, he´s still sleeping," she replied with a gaze at the full green holoimage. She shoved the protein-regenerator away and freed Kai of the remaining wires and started to clean his body with a sponge. After the length of the procedure his body acted emaciated a lot. But how should he regain his strength without eating? Everything he got, were some nutrients, after his metabolism started to work. When she touched his skin, she discovered that he felt really hot. "Why is he so warm?" Xev asked. "His circulation still isn´t working very well, it´s not stable, my princess, he has fever. It could take some time to go down. His immune system has to get used to its normal functions." "Oh, that´s good." "And now?" Stan wanted to know. Xev shrugged: "Waiting? Until he wakes up?" Stan grunted: "I would prefer to wake up in a bed, it´s less cold there!" "Good idea, but where?" Kai never was in need of a bed. "What about your bed? It´s big enough," he suggested. "And don´t tell me you´re uncomfortable with that idea! You´d like it, to see him in your bed, won´t you?" Xev shook her head: "I´m not uncomfortable with that. But I´m not sure if this is the brightest idea, maybe he wants to be alone at first. Hm, I could stay on the bridge for a while…" "There´s some space in my bed, too…" Stan grinned. Xev knitted her brows: "Forget it – Stanley H. Tweedle!" She threw the sponge after him, when he tried to hide himself behind the second cryopod. "Knew it…!" he growled. "Very well, Xev…don´t let this arrogant protein bag seduce you!" tampered 790. "Arrogant?" Stan asked annoyed and turned back. "Who is arrogant? You self-important tin head!" "Stop it! Stan, please help me to carry him over!" Xev pulled Kais body towards her, whilst Stan grabbed Kais legs. "Ok, he may not be decarbonized any longer, but he´s not a lightweight one…" Stan groaned. "That´s the difference, Tweedle, he has more muscles on his left arm than you have in your whole body!" sputtered 790. "You´re containing a lot more fat…" "Oh, shut up, robot head!"

It took them a few minutes until they reached Xevs chamber. They laid Kai down onto her bed. Xev placed some blankets over his body. She was happy, that she learned sewing during her wife training on the cluster, so she had been able to sew a few of her silky pieces of cloth together, so she now had a real huge blanket. "Alright, that´s it for now. We have to wait…" Xev announced. Stan agreed. "Lexx hasn´t discovered anything so far. Really empty edge of the universe. I suggested changing the course, maybe we´ll get somewhere with it. I´ll go back to the bridge." "Me as well, I can´t do anything here right now," Xev followed Stanley.

Darkness. Silence.

There was a calm, peaceful sensation he felt, when he slid over from unconsciousness to dreamless sleep. But not for long, because dreams weren´t always dreamless…

His subconscious mind started to work again, after 6000 years of lasting sleep. It only took one moment – then it was free…

Kais memories broke through – chaotic, disordered – freed from all bonds, which had held them back for such a long time. During his undead state he had been able to look at them like an outsider. He wasn´t able to feel or express them. Only access them for information, for explanation…

That had been, and now something changed…

He dreamt again. He dreamt about this moment he had faced His Shadows invasion. Feelings ran through him, he seemed to relive the moment he had crashed onto the cold floor of the Foreshadow´s bridge. Unspeakable wrath about this act of aggression, hate, deepest sadness about the end of his friends taking part in the battle, about the end of his people, those who he had loved. He had known. Untold anger about his own failure to destroy His Shadow, to fulfill the prophecy.

Kai tried to escape his dream, he didn´t want to remember this moment of his destiny. The memories faded and silence came back for a moment.

Then he heard someone breathe. Gasping. He could sense fear. But it wasn´t his own, he determined astonished.

Single beam spots were moving by.

Bulbs in a dark street.

Buildings on the left and the right.

He was walking down this street.

The end of the street appeared in front of him – a dead-end!

A figure crouched anxiously into a dark corner. He heard it sobbing, panting.

"Please…please…I have a woman and children, I haven´t done something wrong…please!"

The figure sank on his knees, the light of a lantern touched his face as he bent forward. He was terribly frightened, wept and lifted his hands.

Kai was curious: why was this man so frightened?

"Sirius Bold - You were accused to support and put Ostrol B heretics up. You have been found guilty for this crime. I´ll kill you now in the name of His Devine Shadow!" he heard someone say, it was a familiar voice – his own.

Something clicked and a well-known screech was hearable. Only a second later his opponent was headless.

Kai was shocked.

That wasn´t possible. Was it him who had killed this man?

It hit him like thunderstruck – then suddenly, out from this shock, a flood of unpleasant memories washed over him, and he understood.

Murder after murder happened in front of his eyes. Always different victims, but too often the same reasons. The more he saw, the worst it went. "Stop it!" he whispered in his sleep. But they didn´t. Too long had been the time they were held back. Once freed, the memories showed him over and over again everything he had done in those 2000 years in the service of His Divine Shadow. Unspeakable cruelness.

He had known about them. But the dead don´t have feelings, don´t have even a conscience.

But now he had.

Guilt. Remorseless guilt hit him every moment.

Deepest regret, horror about what he had done. What he had become.

His Shadow and his successors ordered assassination mission after assassination mission. All of them accomplished by him without challenge – so mechanically.

Kai sank deeper and deeper into his horrible memories, they hunted him…like a nightmare.

Kai wasn´t able to elude of them. He was stuck in a merciless maelstrom and it dragged him under.

Would this nightmare never end?

Finally it was his physical part, which redeemed him.

With an agonized scream he woke up.

Kai propped himself up hastily, he was completely disorientated. His whole body was covered with cold sweat and he breathed fiercely. Kai supported himself when he got dizzy. He felt the soft bed and some blankets under his palm and tried to concentrate to his environment.

He was on board the Lexx – in Xevs bedchamber. How did he get there?

He groaned. First he woke up in the cryochamber, with heavy changes.

Kai furrowed his brows as he remembered. Hesitantly he stripped the blanket off his body. It was damp with sweat. Slowly and with bated breath he put his hand over the place where thousands of years ago his heart had beat – and he nearly toppled down…when he felt it beat again under his palm. A soft rhythmic beat. Kai gasped and looked down. There were no implants – no artificial devices left, which had replaced parts of his body for so long. Blood rushed through his veins – as he concentrated, he could hear it rustle in his ear.

He stretched out his right arm – the weapon was no longer there – apart from his own thoughts and memories, nothing remembered about his existence as divine assassin.

He was alive!

Kai sighed and fell back. It was a strange sensation to be alive. To feel his body, to feel other things. But as alive as his body felt – as numb felt his mind. Kai closed his eyes and the images came back. He winced. Fear and death, violence, murder, the screams of men, women and children specified his memories. It was horrible. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. He wasn´t able to describe exactly what he felt, everything was like a huge wave, which threatens to slew him. He felt desperate, when he remembered. After he got his memories back from one of His Shadows predecessors and was set free of His Shadows control, he had gone on to take lives. Nearly Stan, the five teenagers – and once again nearly Stan and Xev. The reason, being programmed wrong, wasn´t comforting him.

"Stop it, please…!" he begged.

Kai stared wide-eyed at the ceiling.

Tears starting to obscure his gaze.

Deep down from his innermost a sob made its way up and he started to cry.

How many lives had he extinguished? He couldn´t count them. They were too much.

So many…

The memories of His Shadow and the predecessor he had absorbed showed him the lives, the evil emperor had taken, but it was like sarcasm that he beat him far with that. He banned those alien memories into the darkest corner of his mind. He didn't want to be reminded to those two evil dominators…

Kai wasn´t able to stop his tears. He wanted to scream – but he couldn´t – no sound escaped his lips.

He started to ask himself the reason of being alive again. He of all his people – he, who had killed thousands.

It seemed not balanced to him. He couldn´t understand. To be alive was nothing he ever expected – and, in fact, didn´t want. If the dead might be able to wish – it always had been his wish to die properly. He had been caught in a world between death and life. No possibility to join his people in the DreamZone. To a place where his soul could rest in peace. Now it was life what returned to him – not death. He already asked himself, if it was an ironic kind of punishment what awaited him after all he had done. Kai felt cornered like an animal – ironically most of his victims must have felt the same before he had killed them. His desperation grew. "Why?" he sobbed. "Why?" His body started to shiver and the emotional pain exhausted him more and more.

Anytime he stopped crying – he was beat – there were no tears left to cry. Kai stared darkly at the wall. How precious was his life? He wasn´t able to find an answer. Kai knew that he could end it, faster than the blink of an eye, after all he knew every imaginable possibility to do suicide. But he hesitated, he needed answers first, if he was able to find any possibility to clear up the chaos in his mind. Kai sat up and looked around.

Xev wasn´t near, only his carefully folded clothes were lying on the bed. Kai swallowed hard when he looked at his almost black uniform.

These once so colorful clothes of a newborn BrunnenG – now faded and gone.

Black like death.

He struggled out of bed and touched the fabric. It was the only thing left over from Brunnis 2, besides him. Kai closed his eyes.

Last of the BrunnenG.

Kai sighed deeply, there were no better words to describe his loneliness.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts. With a quick gesture he wiped his tears away. He felt miserable and his skin was unnatural warm.

Fever. he thought.

He considered taking a shower. He wasn´t dirty – but he felt like.

Troubled he got up, ignored his clothes, instead he grabbed one of Xevs blankets and headed for the shower.

Kai met nobody on his way to the shower. But this was alright for him. He didn´t felt for doing conversations at the moment, nor with Xev. When he reached the shower he let his blanket slid down to the floor. He looked at the shower cell, surrounded with its pink membranes. He had killed Laleen here. Kai gulped and fought the memory. He groaned silently, no – if he didn´t find a possibility to stop this horror, then … yes, then what…? He might go insane or something else. His thoughts went back to this one gnawing single question: Why alive? When he had been dead, he was at least able to protect Stan´s and Xev´s lives efficiently. A mortal, vulnerable human body wasn´t designed for that. He knew, he would rather walk in the line of fire, than admit their death, but he only could do that once. There wouldn´t be someone in the future to help them. He shook his head. So why? 

He reached to the top of his bun and loosed his hair for the first time after 6000 years. Slowly he put out the pins that held his hair in its place. The shining black hair fell down, and after he had disentangled his braid, it reached far down below the middle of his back. Xev had hang up a mirror on the wall some time ago, and he lifted his head to look into it.

He really hadn´t changed. Still pale from sun-avoided life. His pitch-black hair underlined his paleness additionally. A tired, red-eyed face stared back at him. He touched the tattoo at his right cheek and thought of his ancestors, who had fought so heroic and bravely against the insect civilization, who had risked the long dangerous journey through the fractal core into the LightZone. Every BrunnenG was reminded to this adventure with the burgundy tattoo, given to them when they reached the adult state, around the natural age of 20. It should also remind them about what they once were, about their heroic past – but the BrunnenG forgot.

Quenched by the aggression of other humans, when they turned once again against each other, after their common enemy was destroyed, they hid under their shield, their sphere of silence - and forgot. Over time they shrank, they got small. Until all of his people had gone decadent, hard-bitten, dull and old. Eternal life they had reached – they had broken a limit, once called unbreakable. But what had they learned? What had they done with all this knowledge? Kai sighed. For the newborns it had been hell. A society deprived of all liveliness, curiosity and innovation. Everything a young person needed to live. So it was no wonder, that they had been the only ones who wanted to fight, who didn´t want to see the BrunnenG defeated without a struggle. They knew it was their end, but they wanted to die fighting and so to die well. Kai had the hope to fulfill at least the prophecy, that His Shadow would die with them, but he couldn´t know that 2000 years had to pass by, before that day would come. To a point in time when his people had been long dead and an almost forgotten legend – and he had become a more dark legend.

Kai asked himself frustrated, if he was worth it, to call himself a BrunnenG.

The BrunnenG warriors once had been proud, honorable fighters, legends, he and his friends followed suit.

They finally became legends of their own – told in tales throughout the LightZone as long as it existed. But Kai now felt more as a murderer, and he was far from being proud about his inglorious past as assassin. He stroke with his fists frustrated against the wall next to the mirror and dropped his head. A murderer, nothing more. That´s what he was.

Kai turned, incapable to look himself into the eyes any longer. He activated the shower and stepped under the warm tempered water. He asked himself if the Lexx contained enough water to wash away all the blood he was stained with.

Kai stood motionless for minutes under the flowing water, his fingers baled to fists. New tears mingled with water and flew down together. Then, any strength left him and he sank down to the bottom. He put his arms around his legs and lowered his forehead onto his knees. He couldn´t cope with this new rush of guilt and sadness.

Xev spent some hours on the bridge, talked a lot to Stan and 790. Mostly about her concern regarding Kai. The situation was all new for them. Stan tired sometime and said goodbye soon. Xev put 790 onto the command unit platform. "I´ll go to check on Kai, maybe he´s wake," she announced and pat 790. "Ohhh, noooo, stay here with me!" "I´m sorry 790, but you know that he isn´t that healthy." "Me too, me too…" pouted the robot head. "Oh 790, come on, you´re ok…" She gave him a kiss and left.

The first thing she saw, when she returned to her bedchamber, was her empty bed. Xev looked astonished at her rumpled pillows and blankets. She really hadn´t expected that he woke up so early. She called: "Kai? Where are you?" No answer. She tilted her head and listened carefully. She thought to hear water rush. Had he gone for a shower? Maybe. She followed her intuition and walked the corridor towards the shower.

She was right. She heard the water rush more clearly now and found one of her blankets in front of the shower cell. "Kai?" she asked discreetly. She didn´t want to disturb him, if not necessary. But when she didn´t receive any answer, she peeked around the membranes.

She discovered him sitting on the floor under the flowing water stream. He had put his head onto his knees, and his hair hang all around him like a dark curtain. It covered his body everywhere at middle-back length.

It was the first time she saw his hair down and free. She had imagined this thousand times and more – but her fantasy was nothing compared with reality.

"Kai?" she asked once again and deactivated the shower, as she still didn´t get any reaction. Xev knelt down in front of him, her eyes examining his nudity. She could sense his tensed demeanor. She stretched out her arm and touched his left shoulder with her fingertips. Hesitantly and slowly he finally lifted his head, eased his grip around his legs a bit.

Xev was shaken to the core when she looked into his face.

Never in her life she had seen such a sad and broken-hearted expression on somebody's face.

In his hazel eyes she detected endlessly sadness. He looked terribly lost. He must have cried a lot. It nearly broke Xev´s heart. "What´s with you?" she asked in a hushed tone. Kai dropped his gaze to the floor and shook his head slightly. "What happened? Do you want to talk?" Kai raised his eyes again, started to shiver lightly. Xev noticed it and stood up to fetch the blanket from outside. She placed it around his shoulders. He watched her dumbly, didn´t move an inch. Xev touched his forehead carefully. He still had high fever. The trembling didn´t stop. "Should we go somewhere else?" she asked softly. Again he shook his head. His body felt numb and weak. Apathy overwhelmed him.

What´s expedient? What should he do? Talking? Maybe. 

Silent tears ran down his cheeks.

"They beg." A pause.

"They scream."

Another pause.

"Hundreds of them, thousands … then I kill them. Without mercy. Without compassion. Remorseless," he finally said with a teary voice.

Xev bit her lip. There it was, the time she had feared most. His past had caught him up.

"I´m a murderer, Xev, a monster…" he shook his head in despair. "What have I done?"

Xev tried to comfort him. "You aren´t responsible for it, Kai, His Shadow controlled you, he used you, abused you. You can´t blame yourself for that, please!"

But once again he shook his head. "I have a lot to answer for, so many people…I have killed countless people, Xev. I don´t deserve to live, everything must be a fault…" his voice faded.

"The day I had died first, should have been my end!" Kai raised his gaze to the ceiling. Xev listened silently to his self-reproach. How she longed to carry his burden! To damp down his sense of guilt. It must make his life a misery, otherwise he wouldn´t talk like that. Declaring his new life a fault. Xev wasn´t his opinion. His life had once been stolen away from him by murder, and it was only a fair compensation that he retrieved it now. But it was also clear to her, that it wasn´t easy to deal with all those memories from his past.

It hurt her to see him in this desperate situation, to see him dropping his gaze when she tried to look into his hazel eyes, as if he feared she could see all those things his memories showed him, too. Kai sat in front of her like a picture of misery, unable to free himself out of this cycle. "Come to me," she whispered softly and put her arms around his shoulders, tried to pull him closer. For a moment she felt resistance, then he gave in. He let go of his legs, he had clutched the whole time and Xev could pull him close to her. She sat down and Kai leaned on her shoulder. Xev covered his still trembling body with the blanket. So, she simply held him for a while, tried to give him some badly needed comfort. "You never have been and you never are a murderer, Kai," she began calmly, "A murderer kills people because he has fun with it, or to take advantage of something, or maybe because he wants to hide another crime…"

"Or if he was ordered to do so…" he whispered scarcely audible and closed his eyes. Xev sighed inwardly. "Maybe, but a living being always has a choice. A dead one without memories and will doesn´t! That´s the difference, Kai, so don´t blame yourself. His Shadow controlled you, used you like a weapon. You can´t blame a weapon for being fired off. Whoever controlled the weapon is responsible for murder. This had been His Shadow, he´s responsible for the death of this people, not you! You only have been the weapon – he controlled you!"

She paused and stroke softly over his wet hair. It was unbelievable long and tender. Another inward sigh. This man was the far most attractive person she ever met.

She hoped, she had put enough persuasion into her voice to reach him.

She gave him some time.

No, destiny hadn´t been fair to him. Should it continue forever like that?

"If someone deserves to be alive – then it must be you!" she whispered, her eyes filled with tears as she continued: "He took everything, Kai, your home, your family, your friends, your whole people…" she fought back her tears and squeezed his slim body closer to her. "…your life, your personality, your soul, the memories and your will," Xev´s voice was barely hearable in the end.

Kai´s gaze was directed numbly at the wall. He heard her words through a thick fog of guilt, sadness and shame. He could sense Xev´s own sadness – she suffered with him, cared about him. When does someone care about him for the last time? he asked himself. It had been an eternity away. It had been another life – a life he barely remembered. But he knew that Xev had always cared about him, even so he was dead. She had returned to the cluster to fill up his vanishing amount of protoblood – to preserve his existence. She had… a new wave of sadness swept over him … sacrificed her own life for him. Could his life – his existence – be more worth than he thought? Could an individual, guilty for countless crimes, granted forgiveness, love again – and be loved? Kai closed his eyes. Could he start anew, living a new life, freed from His Shadows control, freed of this mockery of life he had been before? Maybe. But would he ever be free of his murderous past? He didn´t believe in it. He couldn´t. It pressed down on him, on his conscience. But one never knows – maybe only time could show.

"Come with me, I´ll take you back to my chamber, it´s a lot warmer and comfortable there." Kai lifted his head when he heard her words. Her eyes were wet of tears, but they shone full of love and sorrow for him. He felt his inwards, his soul, touched with it. A wonderful, new sensation of comfort filled him. He felt his own tears on his cheeks when he sensed these feelings. Feelings so deep and intensely he never had felt before. Neither in all this memories he carried, nor in his own. "Xev…"he erected himself, supported his weight with his hand.

His facial expression hadn´t changed visible, but in his hazel eyes she could see a slight glint of hope. "Help me, please, … don´t leave me alone…!" his voice broke down again, his gaze dropped to the floor. Xev pulled him into her arms tightly. "I´m always there for you, Kai, I promise, I´ve always been." Softly she put her hand under his chin and lifted his head. "I love you more I can say, Kai. I always waited for that day to happen, the day you would be alive again – and I won´t give up now! I want a future for you – a future without a torment past." Kai felt new tears well up inside him. Her words touched him so much. With what did he deserve so much love and sympathy, Xev felt for him? The guilt welled up again: " I…nearly killed…you " he thought, as he remembered the day he had accidentally been woken up wrong. Went on a deadly rampage, run amok, only stopped in time, because he ran out of protoblood. He groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Shhh…. nothing happened Kai, we´re both still alive," she calmed him softly. Kai noticed startled, that he had said those words aloud. He felt his hands pulled away from his face and he looked up. Xev touched his cheek fondly and wiped his tears away. "I´ll always be there for you, neither me, nor Stan, will ever blame you for something, we both know that this wasn´t your fault." Kai nodded hesitantly. „I…I feel so much guilt and shame. I´m not sure if I will ever get over it, Xev!" he swallowed and his voice trembled. "You´re not alone!" She kissed his forehead. "And now we ought to go, or you´ll get ill!" She stood up and pulled him with her at the same time. Kai felt weak and uncertain afoot. He had to prop on Xev, even if his pride didn´t want to admit it.

Xev adjusted the rumpled bed, whilst Kai was sitting on the edge, holding his black pants undetermined. "Should I help you?" asked Xev and sat down next to him. He shook his head. "The memories…" he pointed out with agonized gaze. Xev drew off the pants from his hands and put them aside. She freed him of his wet blanket and started to dry his body.

Xev sharply controlled herself, not easy for her, too fierce was the will to jump onto him right here and now. When she let the towel slid slowly over his back and chest, she felt his strong, wirily body under her palm. It was really heavy to elude her feelings.

Kai let pass this procedure unresisting – nearly impassive. But he didn´t miss her inward fight. Her body spoke a clear language. He sensed her increased heat, her slightly flushed cheeks. He knew very well how he affected her …

But she did the same to him…if he haven´t been so weak and exhausted…

It surprised himself a bit where his thoughts were going. But Xev was an adorable person. With her body and with her soul. He felt a lot for her. She kept him grounded. To love and be loved he thought, it was such a long time ago…

"Try to sleep for a while, Kai, you need some rest. Your fever is still high!" Kai nodded absently, he wasn´t able to concentrate properly. He climbed onto the bed and lay down. Xev put a pillow under his head and covered his naked body with some blankets. She couldn´t resist touching him. He felt so good. So warm – so _alive_! How she longed to feel his naked body next to hers…Her libido screamed of lust. It was getting more and more hard for her to push her erotic thoughts back, to control her accelerated libido. Her whole body radiated of heat. She clenched her teeth and hoped that Kai didn´t determine too much of it. "Sleep," she whispered. "If you want…I can stay…here…with you." She hoped that she hadn´t gone too far with this offer, but she wanted to stay with him now, and Xev was relieved when he agreed.

He wasn´t sure if he was able to sleep. His whole body felt numb, his head burnt of fever and the memories, he tried to get under control. He felt Xev lay down next to him and the touch of her hand, her fingers wrapping his. "Thank you…" he whispered. The sensation not to be alone any longer filled him with peace and gratitude. He felt himself slide over into a calm sleep, untroubled by memories. Xev smiled lovingly and closed her eyes, too.


	7. To love and be loved

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 6

To love and be loved

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUAL TOPICS!  
PLEASE DONT READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU ARE UNDER 17 (OR DO IT ON YOUR OWN RISK); OR IF YOU FEEL NOT ADULT ENOUGH, TOO PRIM OR WHATEVER...

She must have slept some hours, Xev thought, when she woke up. Kai was still sleeping next to her. He had let go of her hand anytime and placed it under his head, his other hand rested on his belly. Xev smiled and observed his shape lovingly. It was still strange for her, to have him here in bed. He acted so innocent and vulnerable in his sleep. Xev turned onto her belly, put her arms under her chin and watched him steadily, listened to his deep, constant breath. He would need a lot of time and benefit, to accept his past, that was now clear to her. Only time could heal the worst. She wanted to give him all time he needed, no question, the only thing counting now, was that he didn´t break under this burden. She had waited such a long time – what meant time to her now? Xev sighed soundlessly. Her accelerated libido had an opinion of its own, she knew that, but what could she do? In moments like this, she cursed her transformation.

Her gaze wandered over the attractive BrunnenG. His beautiful, thick, long dark hair surrounded his head in a snarl. Xev reached out for one of his streaks and let it glide through her fingers. Kai murmured something in his sleep and moved a bit. His blanket slid down a bit and gave her gaze free access to his strong right thigh. Her unbelievable strong longing for him came back at once. Her reaction frightened herself a bit, she couldn´t explain those strong feelings towards him, it wasn´t physical attraction only. She felt so close to him like to no one else. Not that she met many people, especially men, in her life…but something between her and Kai was different. Even when he had been dead, he was the only one she could talk to in a reasonable way. After he got his life back now, this invisible bond deepened. She could feel his pain, his brokenness, and his agony so very intensely. The sadness surrounding him was nearly visible for her. And – of course – there was this deep, overwhelming love for him. It was such a strong sensation that often caused her to cry. Days had gone by since their first kiss, but she could still feel this intense sensation on her lips. She smiled, when she thought back.

Her attention suddenly turned back to Kai, who moved uneasy. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his body was suddenly covered with perspiration. He groaned slightly. Xev propped herself up worriedly. She took a cold, wet cloth and cooled his face with it. It was a short fever attack. She pulled the blanket back over his body and waited for the fever to draw back. After a while he got calmer, the crisis was over. Xev wiped a last time over his forehead, when she suddenly felt fingers wrapping her wrist. Her hand was softly pushed aside. Kai opened his eyes and looked directly into her face. Their eyes locked and Xev froze. She let her hand fell down on his chest. Kai´s hand rested loosely on hers. His other hand touched her cheek, stroke a restive curl of her hair back behind her ear. "You´re so beautiful, Xev…" he whispered, Xev flushed and smiled shyly, she dropped her gaze. His glance was very intensive and seemed to touch her soul. The air crackled again.

Xev felt her libido kick in once again and breathed deeply.

Kai felt her unease more concrete than before. Her sexual attraction had grown over the last hours. Once again he wondered why she was so attracted to him. What was it, which made him so attractive to women? He couldn´t explain it, he only knew that it was a fact since his birth. Even during his undead existence he hadn´t lost this attractiveness for the female sex.

But he also felt more than physically attraction for Xev. It was her unmistakable character, her inner beauty that made him feel something for her. Besides his first love on Brunnis 2, he never met a woman, who attracted him so much. Well, the last 6000 years it really hadn´t been an issue.

He let his finger playfully slide down behind her ear, down her neck. Her skin was soft and tender under his fingertips.

Xev had closed her eyes and she swallowed. Excitement filled her and let her body tremble. She enjoyed every moment of this unique sensation to be touched by him. She hadn´t expected that so soon.

It was overwhelming for Kai to feel her like this. Long lost sensations showed up again. Warmth spread over his body and for the first time in his new life he felt only positive feelings running through him. He felt his injured soul touched with them, they comforted, and they soothed his pain. Kai dared to believe, that he had found a possible way to heal his soul…maybe one day that will happen. For now, he was thankful for the comfort Xev gave him with it.

His slim fingers reached her shoulder, stroke over her collarbone to the middle, rested in the small dip between both collarbones. Xev felt a new shiver ran through her body. "Xev?" he whispered. She opened her eyes and looked inquiring into his truly handsome face. She swallowed, when she saw his eyes shone full of desire, his expression slightly confused and uneasy at the same time "I´m … a bit out of practice, but…" Xev stifled the rest of his words in a passionate kiss. She softly plunged her tongue between his lips into his mouth. She felt a hot wave running through her, when their both tongues met. She gave a groan and began to explore his mouth, as he did too. Softly she caressed his lips with the tip of her tongue, only broken by sweet, deeply passionate kisses. After a while both stopped, out of breath. They had edged closer to each other. "Out of practice?" she asked breathless. "Hmm?" Kai asked innocently, raising his brows. "I just want to know how it is, when you were in practice !" she teased him. His kisses were the best she ever experienced in her life. Kai smiled, he felt passion and desire rushing through his veins. With all his reawakened senses he knew that he hadn´t forgotten anything from his first life. "Then let us find out,…" he whispered keenly. His finger slid between her breasts. He softly stroked her visible curves over her clusterlizard top. Xev gave a loud groan, her fingers clutched around the cloth on her bed. He touched her cheek with his left hand and gave her a new kiss, his right hand followed upwards, too, rested on her shoulder. His left loose from her cheek and slid downwards her neck, guided slowly to her left shoulder. His both hands wandered simultaneously under the straps of her dress, slid them down over the side of her shoulders. He leaned forward and kissed her neck and throat tenderly – his hands moved to her back and unzipped her top. The long hair stroked gently over her bare shoulders. He freed Xev of the top and let it fell aside. His lips caressed her skin softly and he looked up into her face, sharing another kiss with her. She could feel his free hair tickling her skin, her now bare breasts. Her body started to burn of desire. His hands climbed up again, to her firm breasts. He cupped them with his hands, stroked over her curves, over her nipples, which hardened immediately. Xev groaned impulsively and threw her head back. Kai smiled delighted about the success of his endeavors. He bent down to her breasts and kissed her erected nipples. He touched them with the tip of his tongue, circuiting them lazily. Xevs desire grew. She sank backwards down, twined ecstatically under his touch. Kai´s palm stroke over her belly, continued the way of his kisses downward. He stopped for a second at her navel, circuited it with his tongue, before his hands slid down to her well-formed thighs – to the end of her mini skirt. He let them glide up on the inside of her thighs, until they reached the soft, sensitive skin, directly next to her abdomen. Xev let out a gentle clusterlizard growl. Kai had to smile, he nearly had forgotten this special part of her. With one fluent movement, he caught her skirt and with it her underwear and removed it. He dropped it next to her boots, she put out before they went to sleep. Xev gasped, she lay completely naked in front of him, her legs slightly straddled. Her chest moved up and down fast. Arousal spread over her whole desirable body. On his way back up, his hand caressed her pubes, his palm pressed slightly to her cunt. Xev moved her hips and pressed harder against his palm. She felt a well-known throbbing deep there. She wanted him to silence it, but not yet – not yet. She let out a cry of passion when he felt his finger exploring her hot wet depths, touching exactly her tender spot. He nearly brought her to the edge of ecstasy. But before he admitted her this release, he drew back. He lay down next to her, kissing her again, another endless passionate kiss. Her arousal carried over to him long ago. But he waited for Xev to cool down a bit. He could see the passion burning in her eyes. Her wonderful green eyes shone full of love and longing for him. He had still recognized, that only the slightest touch of him was enough to arouse her. Long suppressed craving, now unloaded in waves over and over again. As evil his lack of emotion had been for him, as bad must have been Xevs constant fight against her hyperactive libido. Xev breathed deeply and turned to Kai. It was her turn now. She pulled away the blanket, which still was somewhat draped around his abdomen and started to explore his absolutely amazing body. Her fingers stroke over his strong, wirily muscles all-over his upper body. Softly she caressed his explicit strands of muscles, clearly visibly under his smooth, warm skin. She placed a few kisses down on his belly, leaving a small wet trace with the tip of her tongue all the way up. Their lips met again and their tongues fought another duel. Xev gasped for breath and looked deeply into his greenish-hazel eyes. She saw the soft light of love and passion gleaming in them, but also this echo of sadness, that inhabit him, that would forever be a part of him. She hoped, that she was able to take away this deep pain of his, at least for this moment. Her hand wandered down again and found what she looked for. She broke eye contact, before she could get lost in his eyes. There was anything undeniably mysterious and ancient in his gaze, what attracted her. Her palm pounced on his erected member. Xev stroked tenderly over its tip and took it in her hand. Kai closed his eyes, his reaction similar to hers not long ago. He groaned loudly when he felt her warm hand wrapping his cock. His lust grew and he felt something new, electrifying warmth exploded from the depths of his stomach all-over his body. And there was something else he sensed. After 6000 years of loneliness and numbness, he felt a part of him – completed, united, reconnected. His body started to burn of longing for Xev, and he completely forgot his past and his pain for this moment. Xev´s impatience alienated to him and he started again to touch her. Together they let ran their hands over their heated bodies. Their joint breathing and moaning filled the chamber, as their exploration went more and more passionate and intense. He massaged her breasts, stroked hard with his thumbs over her nipples, and squeezed them. Her reaction was fiercely, she screamed in excitement and straddled her legs and sat down on his thighs. When the tip of his member stroked her cunt, both groaned with pleasure. He slid his hands down to her butt, pulled her closer. He kissed her breasts, sucked her nipples. Xev gasped hard, arched her back. The craving inside her, went to the limit, the throbbing between her legs went beyond all bearing. She couldn´t hold out very much longer, especially when her hip movement pressed his cock closer to her opening. "Kai, please…I….ahhh…" She wasn´t able to speak a comprehensible word. One hot wave after the other rushed through her, let her cry out again – another clusterlizard growl followed. Kai seemed to understand, he pulled her close, pressed her tightly to his body and rolled them over. Xev straddled her legs widely and Kai lowered himself down on her. Carefully he slid his cock into her hot, wet opening. For a moment they held their breath, none of them wanted to miss this magnificent moment as their hungry bodies united. But not only their bodies connected – their souls as well - two souls, which craved so long for true love in so different ways, which didn´t get the love they needed or wanted. Xev gasped heavily, looked deeply into his eyes, as he did the same.

If someone had told her, that this would ever happen, she had laughed at him. But now, now it happened…

She was lost in his eyes. Eyes that had seen far too much – never wanted to see the most of it. Eyes, which screamed hungrily for love. Sweat covered their bodies and she loved to see them glinting in the pale light. She felt his member filling her completely, how it made them both one. She heaved her hips, twined her legs round his waist, when he started to thrust slowly into her. He gave her time to show him her rhythm, kissed her luscious lips. Xev groaned loudly as their bodies started to move rhythmically. Ecstasy washed over them and after a moment, both closed their eyes overwhelmed. Kai stroked over her body, her breasts, sucked them tenderly and drove her to the edge of ecstasy. With every thrust Xev gave a loud groan, she felt her climax near, but she didn´t want it happen so early. She let go of his waist and broke their connection. Kai allowed her. She propped herself up and pushed him tenderly onto the bed. She straddled her hips and sat down on his thigh, gave him newly access to her opening. Kai let his cock slide in and both continued their amorous play. When she was riding him, he cupped her breast, send new shivers through her body, whilst squeezing her sensitive nipples. She moaned and arched her back, pressed her abdomen fiercely against his, when she pushed down. He felt her strong contractions massage his shaft as they shorten more and more. Kai pressed his lips together, controlling the urge to cum. He grabbed her shoulders and rolled their sweated bodies over, with him on top. The sweat allowed them to let their hands slide fluently over their bodies. Xev was near the edge of sexual ecstasy. She reared up under him, put her legs around his waist again and tried to get him deeper inside her cunt. Kai doubled his efforts and thrust harder and deeper into her, until she came in a vast explosion. Her hunger for sexual satisfaction was immense, and she took what she lacked of. Xev was prancing underneath him for a last time – let their fusion go beyond their deepest depths and screamed and groaned his name as her orgasm shot through her perfect body. Kai climaxed the same moment, when his member entered her so deeply, and he moaned loudly as their shared climax let their bodies tremble.

He collapsed onto her. Xev loosed her grip around his waist and threw her arms around his heavy breathing body. He shifted them to one side. Xev put a leg over his thigh and let them experience the aftermath of this precious moment. Huddled together, they waited until their bodies calm down. Xev felt a tear of joy ran over her cheek, she was so unbelievable happy, it had been her biggest wish for years…and now it came true! She smiled and cried the same time. She loosed the grip a bit and touched a strand of his dark hair, wrapped it around her finger playfully. She loved his silken hair. Kai smiled and stroke some of those unruly streaks back. Xev sighed when she looked at him. She could forever look into this angelic face. He was so beautiful. Especially when his raven black hair was down. It underlined his beauty a lot. She touched his full lips with her fingertip, felt him kissing it. "Thank you,…" she finally whispered. "I love you with all my heart!" Kai´s lips curled with a new smile. He kissed her softly on her lips, nose and forehead. "I will love you forever, Xev, I promise." It was the first time he said those magic words, and it sounded like an oath. He kissed her again, less passionately, but endless lovingly. The kiss of two lovers.

Kai felt a relief he never expected. There was a peaceful feeling inside him he thought he would never have again. He was so grateful, their love was something that soothed his pain, something that put parts of him together again, gave him new strength. Strength he bitterly needed to adjust his new life. He looked at her lovingly, thanks to her this all was rendered possible. Because of her hope and her stubbornness. She had done so much for him – he felt guilt for his behavior towards her, dead or not. He reproached himself that his lack of emotion had hurt her like this. The exigency to apologize again to her was keen. "I…often hurt you Xev, I´ve been very unfair towards you … I feel so sorry for that. I wish I could change it. Even if I had no control over it – I´m sorry…" He dropped his gaze ashamed. Xev swallowed, yes, he had hurt her a lot, he _had_, but she didn´t blame him. He haven´t had any sense for something like that. But this was the past. She concentrated on the presence, and a now more promising future. "Let us leave the past behind, Kai. Everything that counts is now - and the future," she said warmly. Kai kept silent for a moment. The past – something he couldn´t leave behind that easy, there was too much to work out. "My past will forever be a part of me, Xev, but maybe, anytime, ….I´ll be able to accept it. I don´t know!" It cost him quite an effort to say this. He lacked the faith in it. Xev smiled encouragingly at him, she knew that he would forever be marked with this melancholy, this cruel past, but it would be wrong to ignore it. That wouldn´t help him. "You´ve all the time you need!" she said fondly. Kai raised his eyes, his voice softened and went more serious: "I know, Xev, I´m deeply grateful for your patience," he stroke gently over her cheek. "I´ll always be there for you, I won´t admit anything happen to you – I never had, and I never will. Xev, if necessary I would die for you…!" Xev shivered: "I hope this won´t be necessary." Only the thought about one of them to die was terrible. Now that Kai was mortal, it wasn´t ruled out that he may die sometimes. She shook off the thoughts about such a scenario. There was no reason to think about such circumstances, he was alive, and so she bent forward to kiss him. She wanted to feel him close now, as long as possible.

Their kiss turned more passionate and soon their bodies inflamed anew with longing. They took up time to explore and get to know each other deeper. After they reached another, high passionate climax, they lay down to sleep, totally exhausted, cuddled closely together.

Stanley, on his way to the bridge, sighed deeply. He couldn´t miss their second climax. They didn´t care about. Ok, why should they? 790´s cant was some kind of comfort for him. Besides, he granted them this release. Especially Xev. Now she finally had what she wanted. Stan wondered about all those changes going on here. He often thought about how blue Xev had felt, if Kai was around and acted so dead. Well he was dead. Had been dead. Her visits to the cryochamber, how she often had declared her love to him – exactly knowing that he didn´t return it. Unfulfilled love could be horrible, he should know this. He felt a bit sorry when he thought about his, sometime, really rough words at her. Maybe he should talk to her anytime. He reached the bridge and Lexx reported to him: "I have received signals, Stan, should I follow them?" Stan climbed on his pedestal. "Can you show me the signal?" "I´m sorry Stan, it´s too weak, we have to get closer!" Stan sighed. Signals, this could mean everything, a ship, a planet. Both of it could mean trouble or … variety. "Oh, the heck with it! Follow those signals, Lexx, keep me updated!" "Yes, Stanley!" Maybe, with some luck, there were a few nice females which weren´t allied yet. 790 hadn´t said anything so far, and he wondered about that, normally he didn´t miss the chance to throw some insults at him. But the robot head was to busy to moan about Xevs absence. He was about to leave, as 790 finally broke the silence. "Tweedle…where is my Xev? Answer me you wrong programmed individual!" Stan turned, a smirk in his face. "Hm, I miss some courtesy in your tone, 790, so I´m not in the mood to answer…" "Grrr…." he heard 790 growling. "Tweedle, tell me in an instant where she is…!"

"…p-l-e-a-s-e!" "What?" "To be polite, you need this little word," Stan nearly chuckled. 790 curled up his digital mouth. "Please," he finally snarled. "She´s in bed," Stan answered, lifting him from the floor. "Such a long time?" the head asked suspiciously. "You hide something, Tweedle!" "I´ll admit, she´s not a-l-o-n-e in her bed." "Waaaaaaaaahhhhhh…!" yelled 790. Stan put 790 back and smiled benignly. He turned to leave, but before he stroke out for the deathblow. "Ah, by the way, they sounded v-e-r-y busy, if you ask me!" 790´s following wails surely had drown Kai and Xev out, at least it followed him far down the passageway.

He felt better now. Before he reached his own bed, he couldn´t resist to sneak a peek into Xevs bedchamber. All was silent and he saw them sleep like spoons. Stan sighed, if he ever would have such luck…! It comforted him a bit, that he triumphed over 790 recently. He chuckled to himself when he lay down on his bed. With a giant yawn he outstretched and started to doze, if something happened…the Lexx would attract attention to oneself.


	8. Improvements

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 7

Improvements

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUAL TOPICS!  
PLEASE DONT READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU ARE UNDER 17 (OR DO IT ON YOUR OWN RISK); OR IF YOU FEEL NOT ADULT ENOUGH, TOO PRIM OR WHATEVER...

Two other weeks went by. The Lexx was following the new course and Stan got more and more bored. It seemed that everyone had forgotten about him. Kai and Xev didn´t show up very often, but that didn´t mean they were together all the time. Kai had a lot to work out with himself and he often retired from the world. As much as he appreciated to be with Xev, and the love he shared with her, as painful were his memories of the past. He tried to believe in her words, that he had been controlled, that he hadn´t had another choice, but it stayed difficult for him. The memories were his. And compared to before – this time they hurt. His conscience screamed in horror about what had happened. On some days, his sense of guilt was much too strong and he realized that he hated himself for everything he had done. It acted like a dark, deep abyss, that drew him closer, a maelstrom he barely could escape. He got depressed and thought about more than one time to end this life that was returned to him recently. What was his right to live, if so many people were killed by his hands? Besides, the thought about death wasn´t very uncomfortable to him, because now he finally could die properly! After all he was alive, mortal. No bonds would hold him back if he wanted to end this life. His soul was bond for 6000 years away from its assignation – to join his people in the DreamZone. He couldn´t join them, because he hadn´t been really dead. But now…this aspect had changed. If he wanted, he could…but then his thoughts often went to Xev, and this on the other hand was good reason to go on, love was a good reason to go on. She often looked after him and brought him comfort, pulled him away from this ultimate, adamant abyss. She was the only support he had – he needed so urgently. If she wouldn´t were there for him, he hadn´t guaranteed for anything. Too worse were his memories of those countless murders, tortures he had been ordered to do. He couldn´t understand that there were humans who killed in this manner – with full awareness of their conscience, their emotions, their own will. That was the difference, Xev had told him, this fact should remind him that he shouldn´t feel responsible, but regardless to that, he had killed, wasn´t he a murderer for this reason? Deepest desperation filled him when he thought about this issue. Wasn´t he a murderer, solely it was His Shadow, who was responsible for those killings, because he controlled him? But he had killed them with his _own_ hands, so he _was_ a murderer, wasn´t he? He sighed, so many questions so less answers…sometimes he thought it would be easier if he would be dead, then he hadn´t to deal with all this. But no, to took his own life wasn´t the solution. There wasn´t anything honorable in this action, to run away from problems, from life with all its problems. He had done a lot of dishonoring things in life, dead-life, but he didn´t want to do anything like this of sound mind. He didn´t fear death, he wanted to die, but not a senseless death. He had caused so much pain, he didn´t want to cause more, especially not to Xev.

Kai looked at the opposite wall in this small chamber, somewhere deep inside the Lexx. He had been here since two days. Here he was alone with his doubt, his guilt, his fear, with all those feelings he had been incapable to feel for 6000 years. At least, the memories of His Shadow and those he had killed didn´t trouble him. Most of them were too alien and weird, he didn´t want anything to do with. Maybe they would be useful one day…but not at the moment.

With his own memories it was another story. Besides his horrible sense of guilt, he felt frustration and anger. Frustration that he had been so powerless, that he never had a chance to save his home world, that he hadn´t been able to prevent those countless murders. It leads to an untold anger towards destiny, a predicted destiny, which denied him to save the BrunnenG that had condemned him to such a mockery of life – made it possible to serve their greatest enemy and kill for him. Kai slammed his fist against the wall. Pain shot through his knuckles and he clasped surprised his other hand around it. The pain brought him back to reality. Carefully he moved his fingers, looked fascinated at his grazed skin, which went red immediately. He nearly forgot that the human body was so very vulnerable. Kai sighed. His wrath faded already.

His thoughts went back to his old life on Brunnis2. How had he been before destiny predicted his future. A lot more green, more innocent than now. His urge to explore, not to accept everything that kept society in its frozen state, had brought him more than once into difficulties. He mainly thought about the day he had visited the Time Prophet. He hadn´t only found out about his peoples destiny, no, he had been thrown into prison right away, accused and sentenced to die, because he had broken the protective shields of his planet. It was terrifying for him to recognize their disinterest, when they learned that he had told the truth. This hadn´t been the BrunnenG he had known, he had coped with so long. For him, the BrunnenG always had always been great people, the winners of the insect war, and he always wanted to be like them. At least, he had reached this aim. After his girlfriend had freed him, he and his other Newborn friends had fought against His Shadow, honored those ancient BrunnenG warriors with it. At least they didn´t die without a struggle.

A melody appeared in his mind and he hummed it in a low voice, it was the song he had sung when they met this little theater in space:

If this should be, our final stand,

we will stand together with pride

We will honour the past, and fight to the last,

it will be a good way to die

It matters not, if the cause is lost,

and we can not stop the tide

We will fight to the end, and then fight again,

it will be a good way to die

This moment will live on through time,

if anyone ever asks why

The Brunnen-G did not fall on their knees,

you will know they found a good way to die

But a lot time went by since that day. The prophecy finally was fulfilled, but in a complete other way Kai had expected. The price had been high.

In the meantime the LightZone had also been destroyed. He was pretty sure that, except for him, Stan, Xev and 790, nobody knew anything any longer about the BrunnenG. He wasn´t sure if this was good or bad, but whether it was or not, this part of universe's history was over. His not. His new life had just begun. He sighed. The last of an once great race of warriors. Deserved or not, he had to get his life under control, at least for a while, this was something he owed Xev. She didn´t earn to be at constant sorrow for him, it was time that he was there for her. She had done enough. He owed her more than he was able to return. Without her he had given up, he was sure about that. She believed in him – maybe it was time to start to believe too - in himself. He looked up and considered how long he had been here in this small room somewhere deep inside the Lexx. One, or two days? Definitely. His stomach was growling and he missed her, so the decision to go back wasn´t that hard. He needed her, at least this would distract him from his dark thoughts and so he made his way back.

He didn´t find her in her chamber, nor on the bridge or the galley. She couldn´t be found anywhere. First he wanted to ask Stan, but the captain of the Lexx slept tightly. If she didn´t went on a tour with one of the moths, what he considered implausible, because none of the moths was missing when he landed with his, she only could be in the cryochamber or – elsewhere. He decided to check this first. When he passed the shower, he heard water rushing. There she was! He entered silently and discovered her clothes in front of the shower cell. He spotted her leg and an arm between the membranes and drew nearer.

Xev stood under the nozzle and enjoyed visibly the warm water flowing over her amazing, adorable body. Kai felt this electrifying sensation in his stomach again when he saw her flawless beauty completely. He knew how she felt when she was near him, saw him naked, but did she have any idea how he felt when he saw her perfect body? He experienced it only once in a lifetime, in his former living-life. But he was still astonished how intense his body reacted when he saw her or was near her. Xev could drive man mad with her flawless body. Quietly he removed his clothes too and loosed his hair. He entered the shower cell soundlessly.

Xev winced startled when she felt his arms moving softly from behind over her hips. "Kai!" she cried out rebukingly and turned her head around. He made a sheepish face, once again he had forgotten his special skills, skills he had used as an assassin, skills that still were present in his brain-implant, programmed for his special tasks. Without the connection to his other implants, those, which Xev had removed, it hadn´t a purpose any longer, except that the programming still was a part of him, and would ever be. "Did I scare you?" he whispered into her ear. Xev leaned back in his arms, relaxed immediately. "A little…how are you?" she asked a little worried. After all, he had been away since two whole days. He hadn´t done this for the first time, but fortunately there wasn´t any danger anymore. The first time he had vanished for such a long time she had been in fear. She had searched for him for hours, exactly knowing that if he didn´t want to be found, he wouldn´t be found anywhere. Finally she did. He had been in one of Lexx´s countless small chambers. Deeply caught up in his painful memories. It took Xev a long time, much strength, comfort and love to haul him out there. It had hurt herself deeply, when she saw him so close to surrender. So far, she succeeded to pull him away from this abyss, but she felt her own exhaust in this unfair fight. She had asked herself how long she could stand it. The worst day date back two weeks now. The day he had nearly committed suicide. Since two days he had contemplating suicide and Xev had talked a lot to him, tried to convince him that there had to be a reason for being alive. But she had realized early enough, that he barely listened to her. Even so, it surprised her that he had left the room with the words: I´m so tired of all that! I should have been long dead – and any time is good enough for it, it´s time to go, to return to my people. I never wanted this life… Xev was left behind, on her bed, and had shaken her head. For one or two minutes she got really desperate. How should she help someone who didn´t want her help? His words slowly had crept into her mind, and she had realized them seconds later first. Her alarm bell rang and her angst had been enough to cause her a transformation into a clusterlizard. Only with the high speed of her other half she had been able to reach him in time – before he could himself throw off the edge of the bridge. She had pushed him away from the abyss, knocked him to the floor, with her on the top and talked wailing at him for good half an hour. She needed all her physical and psychological strength until the crisis was over and Kai had given in. They really had hit rock bottom. Kai gave her the promise, not to do something like that again. To run away from life and the problems are not a solution! she had said. Kai really was a hard piece of work. But he was worth it. And she knew that he would keep word. He still vanished for hours, days, but he always returned. Sometimes she looked after him, when there was a strong sense that he needed her. But now it seemed that he was able to manage this fight on his own – a visible progress, and so she gave him this freedom, without fear for his life. Maybe she would have looked for him today, but only because he had been away for so long. Well, now he was here. She turned her head again to have a better look at his face and to hear his answer. "A bit…better." His eyes had cleared up a bit, his facial expression acted more relaxed. Xev was relieved, she looked back forward, a smile on her lips. "That´s…. beautiful!" she whispered. She felt his hair caressing her skin, as he laid his chin down on her shoulder, nuzzled his left cheek to her right. His hands folded tightly across her belly. Xev sighed, she felt every detail of his strong body, when he pressed himself slightly against her backside.

His gesture – an invitation, an excuse for his long absence.

Hot waves of arousal ran through her body. "Oh, Kai!" she groaned. His lips touched her cheek. He left a trail of kisses down her neck. His hands moved up simultaneously, cupped her breasts and massaged them gently. Stimulated by the warm water and his touch, she turned around, pressed her abdomen demanding against his. A wild, passionate kiss followed, whilst she drew back to one of the walls, pulling him with her. Hot haze surrounded them, engulfed them. As Xev felt her back pouncing the wall, she heaved herself up and twined her legs around his waist. Two days without him have been far too long for her. Not because of sex, no, she loved to talk to him, to cuddle into his arms, to feel him next to her so close. Admitted, these situations often ended up in bed, but weren´t always her first intention. Kai often grasped the nettle of it. He enjoyed their closeness, the physical contact with her, to make love to her was an equal level to feel his new life, his vitality. Xev could see it in his eyes, she was happy about that and was more eager to get him satisfied. This time, her arousal and longing were so high, she didn´t want foreplay. She leaned back on the wall and let him enter her. The sensation of it was nearly enough for her to orgasm. Kai thrust two or three times into her, as she reached her climax and cried out loudly. He stopped in an instant, waited until she recovered. He smiled gently and watched her astonished. Xev opened her eyes and smiled back shyly. "I missed you," she said with a hoarse whisper. "What´s with you, don´t you…" "I do…but it was…arousing to…watch you!" "Oh, a little peeper, hmm…?" she teased and moved her hips closer to him. She knew that only minutes were necessary to regain her desire. "Let me feel you, Kai, please…" she begged and sank back to the wall, allowed him to enter deeper into her. She loved it, to feel him like this, to know that they both were as close as they could be. Now it was Kai´s turn to groan loudly, when he thrust deeper into her hot, wet depths. He stopped again, his breathing more fierce, he groaned. "Oh, Xev…I´ll lose control…" He felt his body reacting completely detached. She gasped: "Do whatever you want…give me everything you have…!" He began slowly to thrust his cock in and out, but soon he felt his natural instincts overwhelming him again and taking control. He supported himself with his hands on the wall, whilst Xev cupped his butt with her hands and tightened her grip around him to pull him closer. His thrusts went more fiercely, harder and faster. Their world was reduced to this rhythmic movement and Kai lost the final control over his body. Xev groaned and cried out loudly, he never had taken her like this. This wild and rampant variety had something real exciting. She felt his member pushing hard into her, stroking her inner walls. Xev gasped and guided her hands to her breasts. She stroke over her erected nipples and leaned her head back to the wall. It was an absolutely amazing feeling. She looked into his keen passionate facial expression, his mouth slightly open, gasping, his beautiful eyes closed, his raven black hair in a damp mass around him. He was such an experienced lover…of course, he once had had another life, and all the memories of it. Xev trembled when she felt him penetrating her suddenly very deep inside, he never had been thus deep inside her before, and Xev felt her second climax coming. She never experienced an orgasm like this. It came not only from this special place deep inside her, no, it seemed to come out of her stomach, her mind, all at the same time…

She heard Kai groan loudly with his deep baritone voice, when he thrust into her for a last time and then she felt him cum. Xev pushed her abdomen forward and arced her back. She clung to his upper arms and stabilized her hard trembling body. She opened her mouth and screamed his name when this strange, special orgasm shot through her body.

It took a while until both of them found back into reality. Kai steadied her back with his arms and waited until she loosed her grip around his waist and he slid out of her. Xevs feet touched the floor and she leaned heavily breathing against his wirily body. Kai kissed her forehead gently, both too much out of breath to say something. This moment lasted for an eternity. She leaned her head on his shoulder and a smile appeared on her face. No, there was nothing in the universe that could compare with _this_ love! She felt him stirring and herself lifted into his arms. He took her back under the warm stream of water. Xev smiled grateful up to him, after the heat of their passion, it started to get cold outside. Kai smiled back and both kissed. Xev threw her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his chest. Kai completed the embrace, by putting his left arm around her back, with his right hand he stroke over her head. The warm water rained down on them and washed away the coolness and the sweat. He laid his head onto hers and both remained motionless for minutes. It amazed him how fierce his body reacted when he had been so deep inside her. Sometimes he asked himself if his alive body remembered those 6000 years of numbness, and that he wanted everything back at once. However, it was magnificent. Xev sighed soundless, from one moment to the other she got so tired, she would sleep, if she stood like this for any moment longer. So she stirred and raised her head. Kai let go of her, but kept her hands in his. Xev looked at her beloved BrunnenG, her heart overflowing with emotions. "I can´t go on without you any longer, Kai … I can´t live without you…!" she whispered and looked deep into his greenish-hazel eyes. Eyes that had such a soft, lively glow, that radiate an unbelievingly love. Kai tilted his head, nearly absent he touched her face. He took her words to heart. It was still a strange sensation to be loved, to be needed. But it was comforting. He knew that Xev had loved him since they first met – but now he could understand and feel it. I can´t live without you Xev´s words didn´t loose him. He had thought about many things during those last hours and days, and he was finally sure about at least one thing: He got a new chance to live, to feel, to love. Whether he deserved it or not, Xev really didn´t deserve to worry about him, because of one foolish moment he wanted to commit suicide. It wasn´t easy for him to deal with his past, but he didn´t want to throw his new life away senseless. This wasn´t fair towards Xev. Besides, she was a real good reason to go on, to try it with these new circumstances – and he wanted her to know this. "Xev," he started, softly stroking over her cheek, "I love you. I´m so…happy…to be with you," he hesitated for a moment, it was real hard to put his feelings into words, maybe an effect of his long lack of them. But a memory told him that it was quite normal, for never finding the right words. "I´m grateful for everything you´ve done for me. Without you, nothing of all this would exist. Without your motivation, I lacked off, we would never have fulfilled the prophecy. I would have never returned to life. Xev, I´m still unsure about the cause of my retransformation, uneasy if I deserve life – if I deserve you … but I´m sure about one thing – I´m happy about every moment with you!" Kai sighed. "I´m sorry if I cut a caper," he smiled contritely, "You didn´t deserve that after all you have done…I should be there for you now, Xev, because I love you so much!" Xev smiled with tears in her eyes when she heard his words. She never experienced real love in her life, and since Kai was alive she felt in paradise. For the first time, somebody declared love for her, felt something for her. It was overwhelming. Nameless. And she finally realized everything what happened those last weeks. Xev started to cry, let everything out that burdened her for the last weeks. She had put so much of her own strength into her worrying about Kai, to be there for him, that she forgot herself completely. In the past this never had been a problem, because she never expected any reaction, love or gratitude for her actions. But her innermost had craved for those words since he was alive. After all, her waiting was rewarded. And this plucked her heartstrings. She stroke over his hands, her head sank back on his shoulder. She felt his strong hands unclasp hers and caress her back, her head. He might have killed thousands with them, but for her, they meant protection and love. His past never had any meaning to her. "Thank you, it meant …" she sniffed whilst talking, "…a lot to me. You mean a lot to me!" "I know, Xev," his fingers touched her chin and he lifted her head, looked deep into her eyes. "Finally I know it!" There was a hint of sadness in his deep voice, because he remembered how he hadn´t known before. Xev was lost again in his mystery, ancient eyes. There were no words necessary now. He just pulled her closer and held her tight.

Sometime later they parted and finished the shower. Kai´s stomach was growling more rigid now, it sounded unpleasantly loud. Xev had to laugh. She looked wry at him and Kai smiled shyly. "I think I´m hungry…haven´t eaten anything the last two days!" She laughed again and put her clothes back on. "Come, I´ll help you with the hairdressing, then we´re faster in the galley." Kai closed his jacket and allowed her with an amused gaze. "What!" she asked. "Are you sure?" he replied, as he gave her the hairpins. "I´ll wangle it!" Xev took them and her brush. Nobody put anything past her. "I think we women are specialists with hairstyle, my dear, no panic!" she said self-conscious. He shrugged his shoulders: "Good, give it a try…" He sat down on the floor and gave her access to his hair. Xev started to brush his hair. She put the upper part together into his traditional bun, the lower hair she braided. Carefully she loosed his lovelock. She let it slid through her fingers. She loved this silky touch of it. "You really have beautiful hair, Kai," she smiled and signalled him that she was finished. He stood up and looked into the mirror. "Perfect," he pursed his lips. Xev looked over his shoulder, grinned into the mirror. "Disbeliever!" she teased him. Kai´s corner of the mouth twitched. He never doubted her, but she wasn´t aware of the brunnish traditions. He turned around, looked at her half amused, half serious. "If we would be on Brunnis, you just would have pointed out that you´re ready to agree to a long term relationship." Xev raised her brows. "Oh….!" He laughed as he saw her confused expression. Xev smiled coyly back. This thought wasn´t uncomfortable at all. She didn´t know about the relationships among the BrunnenG, but they had been surely more pleasurable than to get married from the wife bank. "Oookayy, if this is what it says…." She smiled nervously. Kai raised his brows but didn´t say anything further. It was to early for them to talk about such issues, and both switched the subject. "Let´s go to the galley, I´m really hungry Xev…" "Sure," she slid her hand in his and both made their way to the galley.


	9. A strange incident

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 8

A strange incident

With his chapter the main part of my story begins. I have to introduce you to a little thing now. It´s only about the spelling of those names and words that will appear in the following chapters. If you see a name like Te´ran, Arcan´s or so, the **´** is spelled as **i. **That´s all.

Of course, I forgot to say something from the beginning: My story took place after the third season – and for all of you wondering about the fact why 790 is in love with Xev, and not Kai. Well, I reprogrammed him. You´ll see it when you read my story. Only for explanation. Alright, enjoy the story!

When they reached the galley, they saw Stan sitting there already and pecking discontented at his food. He looked up when Kai and Xev entered. "Hey, nice to see you again," he said sarcastically. "No- don´t ask, I´m fine, really. I mean, it´s not that I´m bored, or that something might have happened to me. But, I´m used to your undivided attention…really," he continued ironically. Xev let go of Kai´s hand. "We´re sorry Stan." Stanley shrugged his shoulders and held out two plates. Xev took them and filled them with the green goo the Lexx produced, she gave Kai one of it. "But I´ve been with you yesterday on the bridge, and the day before…don´t forget that!" "Yes, because he wasn´t somewhere near!" murmured Stan offended. It really wasn´t surprising to him, he always took a back seat in the presence of her, but since Kai was alive he was definitely no longer in demand. Kai heard his last words and raised his brows. Stan sighed: "I´m sorry, it´s because…you know, I´m feeling a bit neglected. 790 is getting on my nerves, I´m bored. No planet, not a sign of anything near…!" Xev interrupted him: "I know Stan, but please try to put yourself in Kai's place, do you think it´s easy for him to deal with all those new things?" Stan looked back at Kai, who lowered his gaze down to his meal. "Xev, please," he said low, "Don´t let us talk about those things now!" Kai sighed. The last thing he would do now was to talk about his problems and indispositions. Xev bit on her lip. Stan harrumphed embarrassed and took his attention back to his meal. An awkward silence arose. "Ahem," Stan piped up after a moment. "How are you, generally, I mean? If you don´t mind asking, of course!" "I´m alright, thanks for your request, Stan, but I have to cope with a lot of things…" "I understand…I mean…it´s definitely not easy for you, this new circumstances, I can imagine that!" Stan smiled helpless, he didn´t know how to tell. But Kai seemed to understand. He looked at Stan: "It´s alright, Stan…" The captain of the Lexx nodded and gulped when he looked into Kais eyes for a moment. It was as if Kai was able to look deep into his mind and Stan become flustered. Not that he feared Kai any longer, but he had a lot of respect for the ex-assassin – and of course, all those recent circumstances were very eerie to him, like Kai sometimes. He dropped his gaze, incapable to keep up eye contact any longer. Xev had to smile when she observed them. Even she had to control herself to resist his intensive glance sometimes. Kai finished his first portion and took a second helping. Stan stared dumbfounded at him. "Don´t tell me you like that stuff!" he groaned. Kai shrugged his shoulders. "It´s not that bad at all," and continued to eat. This time it was Xevs turn to groan: "I take it as an excuse that you haven´t eaten for 6000 years!" Kai didn´t answer. He had rather interchanged with everything. Better to eat Lexx´s goo than to exist as a mockery of life for such a long time. Troubled he pushed those thoughts away. After all he was able to control most of them now. Well, he knew that he couldn´t fool Xev, but it didn´t bother him really. It was good to know that someone was there if the circumstances would change. If she had noticed anything now, she didn´t let on. Again silence fell.

It was 790 who broke it a few minutes later. He came in on his small cart. "Oh my lovely buttercup, here you are…and in bad company I want to remark!" 790 glowered at Kai. He was deeply convinced that Kai had seduced Xev with false promises and blurred her mind in this way. Stan growled: "What is it 790?" "The Lexx found the origin of the signal he follows." "That´s news!" Stan said enthusiastic. "Finally some news!" He stood up and headed for the bridge. "Coming?" he asked. Xev nodded and picked the robot head up, when she moved forward. "Sure. Kai?" The BrunnenG swallowed down the remain of his meal and followed her out the galley.

But they hadn´t reached the bridge when something shook the Lexx. "Stanley! I want to change our course, that stings!" the ship said. "What´s happening, Lexx?" Stan asked worried. "I have been hit by something, it hurts a lot!" The voice of the Lexx became very snivelling. Another jar ran through the Lexx. Stan hastened forward. "I´m coming Lexx, I´m coming!" Kai and Xev with 790 followed suit. Stan climbed onto his command stand and clanged to the metal construction when another shockwave shook the Lexx. They could clearly see flashing lights outside. "Get away from here Lexx, as fast as you can!" Stan ordered. "I try to do that, Stan!" The Lexx changed its course and tilt to the left side. For a moment there was silence and when they observed the view screen, they saw many ships firing against each other. Then, again something hit them. "What the heck is going on outside!" Stan cursed and rubbed his head, he had been thrown against the iron bars of the command pedestal. Kai steadied himself on Stans right side, his left arm protectively grasped Xevs waist. "Some objects follow me and are shooting at me!" Lexx said. "Try to get rid of them!" Stan commanded. But it wasn´t that easy. The Lexx changed his course many times, but those strange objects stayed in touch. "790, can you tell us, what follows the Lexx?" Xev asked and laid him down on the command pedestal. "Ships, my heart," he said after a moment, checking some data. "They were made of some kind of metal and use energy weapons similar to the Lexx, very strong weapons. It seems that we accidentally blunder into a fight between two different parties. I can locate another type of ships outside, but they weren´t made of metal, they´re organic…" "Organic? Like the Lexx?" Xev asked. "No, but some similarities I can detect," 790 answered. "They advance backward." "Ouch!" The Lexx was hit by another impact. "So it´s obvious that only those metal ships were firing at us!" 790 added unnecessary. "Maybe they think we´re related to those organic ships?" Xev thought aloud. Stan shrugged his shoulders. "That doesn´t matter to me, I´m fed up with it. Lexx! Turn around, destroy the metal ships!" "As you wish Stan!" The Lexx stopped and turned around. Meanwhile their view screen was activated and the face of a male human showed up. He was advanced in years, wore some kind of uniform. They could see a lot of activity in the background. "Do you need any help? It seems that our enemy also tries to take up a fight with you!" Stan made a face: "Ah, and who are we talking to?" "Sorry, may I introduce us? We´re the defence force of the Arcannean Alliance. I think you accidentally blunder right into a fight between us and the Pr´karesh." The man answered seriously. "It seems that they think you´re part of our troops!" Xev made a step forward. "Why are you fighting against each other?" she asked. "That´s a long story…but we can´t admit that uninvolved strangers were roped into our problems. If you want to retreat, we´ll try to prescind them from you. Also we will face a serious loss with it." The man on the screen just wanted to gave suitable orders, when the Lexx fired two times at those metal ships. The first ring of fire destroyed their attackers, the second one destroyed the whole force of metal ships. The man on the screen froze. Dumbfounded he asked: "What was that? I´ve never seen or heard about such an enormous firepower since the great war!" Stan leaned back self-content. "Yes, the Lexx is the most powerful weapon of destruction in the two universes. This is something you really can believe me!" "Who are you?" the man asked full of interest. "Travellers…on the quest for a new home!" Xev answered carefully before Stan could. "Well, maybe we can show ourselves thankful by offer our help in this quest? You have averted an awful danger and defeat for our Alliance, also saved many lives and us. May we invite you to our home world?" He looked at them respectful. Stan looked at his comrades. Xev immediately agreed. Kai, who had observed everything calmly from somewhere behind, shrugged his shoulders. Stan sighed, asking himself, he had to admit that he longed to find one´s feet as soon as possible, more than he was afraid of trouble this time. So he agreed. "We´re honoured. My name is Te´ran, please follow us to those coordinated we transfer to you now!" The screen went dark. 790 received the coordinates and the Lexx set course for them. "What do you think about it?" Stan asked Xev. "Mh, not sure, maybe a new…" She leaned over to him, "…adventure?" Stan rolled his eyes: "I don´t like adventures, but I really need fresh air and some good food!" "Strange to hear something like that from you, Captain!" Xev smiled. "Yeah, Kai, pal, what do you think?" The ex-assassin moved forward. He had observed everything in his calm and silent way, a habit he even hadn´t abandoned after his resurrection. " I haven´t seen any threat in it, so I assume that your decision may not a wrong one." Xev smiled radiantly: "Could be fun to visit a new planet! Maybe it´s a lovely one where we can stay!" 790 said: "I prefer a planet where I can be alone with my honey!" "Oh come on 790…it´s more fun to be together there…!" Xev stroked over his metal surface. "That´s a point of view…by the way…talking about a planet, the coordinates we´re heading to, are the origin of the signal we received," he added. "Mh, how long until we reach it?" Xev asked. "In five hours, twenty-three minutes, if we keep our speed at this rate!" "Good, time enough to rest for a while," Stan grunted, "See you later!" he left the bridge. Xev shrugged her shoulders and looked at Kai. "I´m not that tired, but I have no other idea what to do…so, coming?" Xev made her way back through the passageway to her bedroom. Kai followed her, deep in thoughts.

"Do you think we´ll find ourselves a home soon?" she asked. Both had lain down on her bed again. She had placed her head on his chest and played with a single strand of her blonde hair. "Kai?" she asked again when she didn´t receive an answer. She lifted her head and looked into his face. Kai stared at the ceiling. "Kai?" "Mh, oh, sorry, I didn´t notice you asked me something!" He said and drew his attention fully towards her. But he couldn´t hid the sadness in his eyes. Xev felt a sting in her heart – he looked so sad. "What´s with you?" she asked and touched his cheek gently. He closed his eyes for a moment, a single tear ran down his cheek. "Don´t ask," he said and took her hand, " You know what´s going on inside me!" He didn´t want to talk about it, not at the moment. He knew Xev would always listen to him, but it was time to give her a break. Xev washed his tear away with her fingertip. "I wish I could bear your burden," she murmured. "Even if you were able to do that – I would never admit it, Xev, no one deserves that, least you!" Xev remained silent, she felt that Kai didn´t want to go on with this topic and so she posed her former question again. "I know that you and Stan are on that quest for such a long time, and now, that I´m alive, I feel the same," he answered her question. "Do you think we can trust them?" "I don´t know, we have to wait until we meet them!" Xev nod and snuggled against him, she didn´t want to sleep, but she had no chance…seconds later she dozed off. Kai stroke over her hair, gave her a soft kiss, which let her smile in sleep. He covered her with a blanket and watched her sleeping. He, of course, couldn´t. Every time when he tried to sleep, those nightmares were coming back to him, hunting him, torturing him. They scare him. So he tried to concentrate on something different. He shifted his weight a bit, carefully, because he didn´t want to wake Xev. He enjoyed watching her sleeping. It gave him a pleasurable feeling to know that he finally was able to give her warmth and closeness, a basic human need, so long denied to her, like life to him. Both really complement one another perfectly now and Kai knew that it couldn´t be an accident they met. He sighed, she really was a gleam of hope in his new life. "Thank you Xev," he whispered softly and smiled. Than he lay back and closed his eyes to find a little rest himself. He didn´t expect to fell asleep, but he dozed off a few minutes later and started to dream.


	10. Dreams

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 9

**Dreams **

He was back again on Brunnis. Together with some other children, in total they were nine or ten, he walked along a wide corridor. The corridor was decorated with beautiful paintings, inscriptions and many other things of art. Kai remembered that day. He and his friends of the same age had been the only children on Brunnis at this time. Children had been something unusual in their society, but they were taught everything a BrunnenG should know, because someday, these newborns would be old enough to become a regular part of their society – and for that it was necessary that they knew everything. This day, they had visited the memory hall . A huge museum, built to preserve their history. They reached the entrance and Kai saw again the wonderful carved inscription on the huge wooden door.

They walked through the door and entered a gigantic room. The view was terrific. Kai remembered every detail. Display cabinets, brimming with objects of art, science and other strange things. Attached to the sidewalls of the hall, he could see weird, foreign objects and in the rear he recognized the tiny insect crafts. Except of them, it seemed that no one had been here since a very long time. Important evidence was the thick layer on most of the exhibitions. Of course, no one in the BrunnenG society cared any longer of their past. In some places, one could reap sharp glances if he talked about their great past. So no one had really understood why the newborns wanted to come here. But children were always curious, so they had let them. Their teacher, she seemed to know everything about their past, had been very happy to guide them. She had been relieved that at least someone wanted to go there and be informed about their history. The elders had been the opinion that over time, they would lose interest, but they had been at fault. Not less than one had been amongst them, who never forgot that day.

Kai heard the voice of his teacher: "What you see here, is part of our great past, a past we want to learn more about today. We discussed some issues during our lessons at school, but this place is more than appropriate to learn more, and…" she smiled and glanced at their curious faces. He remembered her friendly gaze like it was yesterday. "…so to satisfy your hunger for knowledge. The artefacts you can see in this hall date back to the days when our people still inhabited the DarkZone, our origin planet Brunnis. In those days we fought great wars and had quenchless scientific curiosity. As you know, it´s something that has changed." Her smile faded a bit. When he remembered that, the thought that she didn´t seem pleased to what their people had changed to. But of course, at that age he was far too young to understand something like that. But now he realized many things he hadn´t that time. Maybe it was a form of protest of his teacher to teach them far more than it was necessary about the past, …

She continued: "Most of everything you can see here, are relicts of the insect wars. Our ancestors developed a kind of hybrid technology out of insect technology. So these ships and weapons were created. We were in need of a new advantage badly in those days, the insects were dangerously close to a victory over humanity. But with this new kind of technology we had the required advance to defeat them. So human kind finally won this most important war in history." She guided them to the tiny insect crafts in the rear. "But we shouldn´t forget that the courage of our warriors had been an important part in this war. War is a horrible thing we can´t imagine any longer in our days. But this war had been a horrible one. We should be very proud of our ancestors, and of course, of all the other humans involved in this war. You must know that many people fought in this war, we hadn´t be the only. Alright. So take a look around, write down the most important information you can extract from this exhibition, note down your questions – we can talk about them later." She scattered them and smiled happily about her inquiring students. Kai saw, how his younger self examined the insect ships totally fascinated. No, this younger self didn´t sense anything of the incidents that would bring him and his friends back again, many years later. To take those ships and start their defence attack against His divine shadow, the only survivor of the insects, in the meantime he was aware of that. How an irony that after millennia these ships were used again for the same purpose they had been built for – to fight against an insect! The scenery faded and his dream continued somewhere else in the museum. He saw himself standing in front of a huge holographic star map. It showed the DarkZone. "This is the explored part of the DarkZone, like our ancestors knew it. I´ll show you now a specific segment of the map…" she touched some symbols and with a golden shimmering the map changed. Planets and stars were much larger now. "This is the part of the DarkZone where the final battle between humans and insects took place 15000 years ago. Far away from Brunnis, the planet of our ancestors…" "How far?" asked Dragomai, Kai remembered the name of his comrade. "Oh, very far away, you needed two weeks to get there from Brunnis," the teacher answered. She pointed at two star systems: "Exactly here, between Varion and Arcannea the battle took place. It had been home of two very high developed human races and allies in this war. This war destroyed planets and whole star systems. This battle had been enormous, it covered both systems and alongside the destruction of many planets, including the home world of the Varion, many human died. It had been a very high price for a victory." "What happened to the Varion?" he heard himself ask. "They all died, like so many other nations. As I said, the victory demands an immense sacrifice, without it, we maybe had lost this war." "And what about the alliance between humans, after the war?" he had asked. "It went the usual way after such wars – the alliance went to pieces. Space is much too big to control everything. Finally we had to abandon Brunnis to relocate into the LightZone to a new home. But in those days the contact between the old allies had been completely gone. I don´t think that anyone would have noticed our disappearance," she explained. "What happened to the BrunnenG warriors? What did they do after the war?" he asked on. "That´s a very short story, too short as measured by their deeds and merits. The warrior guild wasn´t required very often after war. There were no enemies to fight against. And after we had crossed over into the LightZone, the guild broke up. There was no interest in war any longer, no interest to get involved into a new one. Like those took place in the LightZone. Men fighting against men…an issue we don´t want to get involved in. So we advanced backward, under our huge defensive shield…which protect us from everything evil outside our world!" This in fact, had been a bitter fallacy, but who would have known it in those days? Maybe he himself. He had been sure that someday they would be in trouble because of their retreat from everything outside - and he should be right. Kai remembered his huge juvenile fascination for his ancestors. Not only during his youth, he corrected himself. The urge to explore had been part of his nature his entire life. He wanted to learn more. His whole life he was geared to the old BrunnenG, those BrunnenG who were full of adventuresomeness, pride and glory. His environment never understood him – like he never accepted the way of life his people lived now. It made him a misfit. But he followed his ideals without hesitation, against all antagonism of this decadent and dull society. A fight against the bonds the society had placed around them, especially the newborn. Maybe Xev was right and at all times he truly was a warrior in his heart. Anyway, facing death and destruction, he and his friends lit all the glory and pride of the BrunnenG up for a last time, before the deathless dark shadow engulfed and killed them all. Kai felt a bit pride deep at heart for a moment – they truly had been warriors, but no one of his people had been there to witness and give an account of the newborn's heroic deed. How they tried desperately to avert harm, harm that couldn´t turned away – like he learned from the time prophet before. Mourning and sorrow crept into his mind and the dream faded.

A rebel and warrior in life – an eternal dark existence as assassin in death –

what would become of him now?

Then he woke up.

Kai opened his eyes. A weird dream, more half memory, half dream, but the last question bothered him most. He had experienced both extremes, death and life. He even remembered his own death, the very moment he had died. An experience that let him shiver. Now he was alive again. A second life. But why? What purpose does this life has, that he was here? His first life served to fight, against the rules of his society, against His Shadow, and it ended like most warriors ended: they die. His death on the other hand served to fight in a different way. As reanimated corpse he killed numerous innocent people, finally His Shadow in person. It was clear to him that a living human being hadn´t had the possibility to do that. But if he had to be dead for only this purpose – why couldn´t his existence have ended? Why does he have to live again? He didn´t know. Destiny he thought down. His thoughts went back to his dream, it showed him again the little boy he once had been. At least he remembered being young, something most BrunnenG seem to have forgotten. No wonder after thousand of years. Kai shook his head. He now had the same age like the oldest of his people, but he reached it under different circumstances – it was an irony, his people sentenced him to die slowly, by aging, but now he had a similar age without aging visibly. Kai asked himself for a moment if his now returned life would end when he grew old enough to die … if he ever…He stopped this thoughts. He won´t end up in this terrible circle of thinking and re-thinking about a valuable or worthless life again. Kai sighed, sometimes he wished to be the little boy again. He had to smile when he remembered his serious interest and curiosity about history and his ancestors. Why did he remember or dream of exactly their visit in the museum? He analysed the memories and stopped suddenly when he saw again the star map. What were the names of those star systems his teacher had mentioned? Varion and … Kai rocket upwards when he recalled … Arcannea! Could it be that it was the same system they were now going to? He had to check on that, immediately. He put on his clothes, his boots and left the bedroom.

"790?" he asked for the robot head, when he reached the bridge. "What do you want? Where´s my Xev? Have you killed her?" snarled 790. "No. I want to ask you something. Can you check on something for me?" "Why should I?" Kai sighed. "I try to find a new home for Xev, do you remember? This could be important to reach this aim!" Kai hated to lie, even to lie partially, like in this case, but he knew that he would never find out anything without 790´s help. But his insults were far better than the addiction he had shown before. Even for the dead had it been an enervating situation. Admitted, he had shown an unfamiliar motivation when he reprogrammed 790, but now, alive, he was relieved that 790´s love-slave programming was focused on somebody else. "I hope it´s really the reason for your question, so let me know what you want to know!" growled 790 after he considered Kai´s request. Kai nodded and gave him every data he knew about the part of the DarkZone he had dreamt or better remembered of. The information mainly consisted of planetary configurations and distance specifications between Brunnis1 and Arcannea. Not much, but there weren´t many planetary systems with this typical formation. After all, they had the coordinates of their destination and where Brunnis1 had been located before it was destroyed in this supernova they witnessed. Maybe this was helpfully enough for 790. "Well, that´s not much, and if I´m right, I count 792 billion 562 million…possi…!" "I know, 790, please try to find out if both Arcannea are one and the same thing, and tell me immediately after you´ve found out anything!" Kai put 790 down to the bottom of the command pedestal and connected him to Lexx´s data flow. "Only for the sake of my darling Xev!" 790´s digital eyes changed into binary code and he started to compare data.

Arcannea Kai thought. It would be a weird coincidence. He had never thought about the old alliances and if some of them could have survived until today. When he looked at their high developed ships on the other hand, it appeared logic that they might be this old people, the BrunnenG had fought with against the insects. He sighed ever so slightly. What could that mean? Such a weird coincidence must have some meaning, he was sure about it. But first he needed 790´s confirmation about Arcannea, as long as this was unsure, he wouldn´t mention it towards Xev or Stan. At least he hoped that this Arcannea would be a place where they could find some rest. Xev all above. He just wanted to leave the bridge, when 790 switched back into normal mode and announced some results: "Ahem, the data you gave me seem to fit perfectly to our destination. The distance calculation is highly accurate and the configuration of the planetary systems is nearly the same as our destination. Noticeable is the unusual degree of destruction of planetary systems in this part of the DarkZone. I can detect a lot of debris, maybe planetary debris, and they are not natural! But this must have happened a long long time ago, 20000 years plus or minus!" Kai turned. He wasn´t surprised. "The destructiveness of the greatest war human kind had ever fought in!" he murmured. "Can you show me our destination?" he asked aloud. 790 projected a solar system onto Lexx´s view screen. "It´s a planetary system with eight planets, three of them, the third, fourth and fifth are inhabited, whereas the fourth and fifth form this significant double-configuration." 790 commented shortly. Kai closed his eyes for a moment, recalled the pictures he saw in his dream. He had seen a ten-planetary-system, but the position of the three inhabited planets was exactly the same. Maybe two of the once ten planets had gone or were destroyed during time. Much could happen in thousands of years. "What about their neighbour system?" he asked on. "Four planets and a lot of debris. I can´t detect any life there." Kai nodded slowly. This was right, too. Varion had been destroyed, as well as nearly all the other planets of the system. Now he was virtually certain. This must be the same Arcannea. But what would await them there? He asked himself. Did they know about their past? About the old human alliance against the insects? Whatever, one thing was sure, they were potentially one of the last human nations who survived the past 21000 years, different from those who were extinct, had emigrated or, like his own, had been destroyed. He decided to act with caution. If they remember their past, he wouldn´t be recognized as BrunnenG, at least not now. "How long, until we reach Arcannea, 790?" "About half an hour!" "Thank you for your help, 790!" Kai left. "Yeah, yeah," 790 growled.

Kai woke Xev. "Did I sleep for long?" she asked. "Mh, we have some minutes left," he watched her thoughtfully. "Everything alright?" she asked and started to rearrange her hair. "Yes, I think so." Kai started to comb his own hair quickly and braided it into one single plait. "New hair style?" she asked and smiled. He cocked his head and answered: "It feels unfamiliar, but it´s not bad at all." Even his traditional hair-do would have given away too much, when they met the Arcannea. The BrunnenG had had this hairstyle for millennia, just like him. No wonder it felt odd to him. "That´s right!" Xev agreed, "I like it!" She crawled forward on her bed and pulled his lovelock out when she reached him. "But this is something I missed!" Kai smiled slightly. Xev left her bed with a sigh and put her clothes back on. Her gaze dropped to the weapon she had kept since the day he got alive. "Kai…" she started hesitating. She took the weapon and held it out to him. "Do you want to take it with you? I mean, we don´t know what will await us…" Kai looked down to her outstretched hand, where the deadly, weak glittering weapon lay. He touched it hesitantly with his fingertips. Memories flooded through his mind again. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, tried to push the emerging outrages back. Abrupt he retracted his hand. "No…I…I…cannot. If you´re the opinion we´re in the need of a weapon, take it." He looked sideward. Xev let the object fell down on her bed. "I´m sorry, I didn´t want to…" she touched his arm softly. "…It´s alright," he interrupted her, he had to control his memories badly in future, whenever he would be confronted with objects or situations referring to his past. "Why did you keep it?" he then asked. "I´m not sure, I had this...feeling that we may need it someday."

Like all the other equipment she added in thoughts. Normally she should have thrown them away, but something, a weird feeling she couldn´t ignore, distracted her from it. The thought scared her, why should he still need those parts? Kai was living, and so not relied on his old equipment. Xev didn´t mention her thoughts to Kai, it wasn´t necessary to remind him of this part of his past.

"Maybe, Xev, but not today, let us go!" he interrupted her thoughts, put forth his hand. Xev took it and both head for the bridge. Stanley arrived with them, still rubbing his eyes. He noticed Kai´s new look "Nice hair-do," he said and climbed on his command pedestal. Kai only furrowed his brows. "Lexx, how is it? Are we there?" Stan wanted to know. "Yes Stan, we are. And Stan?" "Yes Lexx?" "The planet we´re approaching to is looking very delicious, may I eat it?" "No, no, Lexx, you won´t eat any of this planets, you hear me?" Stan said sternly. "Ok, Stan, but I soon have to eat, I´m very hungry!" Lexx answered. "Alright, we´re looking for something to eat for ya, Lexx," Stan calmed the huge ship. "Thank you Stanley," "Do I mention that Lexx is really greedy at the moment?" he asked his crewmembers. Kai shrugged his shoulders. "I don´t know when he ate for the last time." "Well, that´s a couple of weeks ago…when we stopped at this space station." Xev reminded him. Stan grunt and watched the approaching planet, better said planets. Xev lifted 790 up and asked him: "Can you tell us something about those planets?" "Always my honey pie…. The third planet of this planetary system is at 95 covered with water, only a few islands, the fourth planets, they were circuiting each other, are different. One of them is a very fertile planet with lots of vegetation, water, high share of population and of course, very high developed. The other one is less beautiful, it seems that it´s a resource planet, low population, high industrial facilities, something that the other planet lacks completely." 790 reported detailed. Xev put him under her arm and thanked him. "At least not a desert planet or something else…" Stanley muttered. Xev nodded: "I think I like it…" Suddenly the planets disappeared and Te´ran appeared on the screen. "Welcome to the Arcannea system, the home of our alliance. If you have any possibility to get to our space station between Arcan´s and T´uara, they´re the double planetary configuration you can see, I´ll suggest one of our fighters will escort you there. The area is very crowded at the moment, as you soon will see. Our larger ships are staying away from the station and planets and we´re using small shuttles to get there.

Our president will greet you in person – it seems that your little demonstration had caused a stir." He smiled mischievously. "I think everything else you will hear later. I´m pleased to meet you in person." The screen turned black and then it showed again the planetary system. For a moment there was silence on the bridge, then Xev smiled and said: "Well, let´s go, I´m curious why their president will greet us in person!" Stan shrugged his shoulders. "So, why not, at least they seem to be friendly." "Yes, captain, maybe this time we have a little bit more luck with a planetary government!" She bounced forward and jumped into a moth. Stan and Kai followed her. The moth left the Lexx and they met one of the small, pitch-black fighters outside. It was Te´ran himself, who flew it. "Stay close, just follow me!" Te´ran instructed them. Xev navigated the moth into the same direction. "These ships are looking really unfamiliar and weird, never seen anything like that, " Stan said, when they passed some of the real big warships, orbiting the planets in huge distance. They were pitch black, (I´ll insert a picture of those ships later), but their shade didn´t remind him of something he knew. But a relationship to the Lexx or another insect ship he couldn´t deny. They had something that commemorate at it, even if he couldn´t tell what. "They´re made of organic material," Kai answered, whilst watching them fascinated. They remind him of a crossing between the old insect ships and modern non-organic streamlined ship designs. "Organic? Like Lexx?" asked Xev. "No, not similar to the Lexx. Lexx is a living organic ship, with very little inorganic material. These ships are made of bioorganic material, with regenerative skills, they´re not living creatures like Lexx, they even don´t have a life of their own. It´s a different kind to the technology my ancestors used, but a very high developed one, too. It needed a few thousand years to get to this level of development." "So, you say, that they´re maybe an older civilization?" Xev asked. Kai nodded. Every detail he discovered fit more and more into his assumption that they were the descendants of the old ally of the BrunnenG. "I hope they´re wise enough to treat us friendly!" Stan muttered. "Well, they didn´t shoot at us, that´s a good start, isn´t it?" Xev smiled. Stan nodded. "Even when I´m sure the Lexx is superior…I don´t want to mess with their ships!" He added. "Yes, they look really dangerous, but if they are at war, they need this demonstration of power. What do you mean, Kai?" She peeked at him. He nodded absent, watching the approaching planets with the space station in-between. Te´ran didn´t understate. An enormous traffic dominated the space around the station. As big as the space station even was, it would never carry this huge amount of ships outside. Many of them showed heavy damage, and so some repair ships supported those, which weren't able to fly any meter. Their escort flew skillful through the teeming mass and navigated to the station. As closer they got, the better they could see details of the station. It was an interesting construction. The center of the station was the hugest segment as well as the largest level, because above and beneath every following segment was smaller than the precedent. So the station could be described as diamond-shaped. Otherwise it was made of the same material than their space ships. The communication-system cracked and Te´ran reported: "Please follow me to segment 37, level 12, hangar 305. Stay close, because we don´t have a guide beam." Xev confirmed and decreased the speed of their moth slightly. After a moment they raced over segment 37 and they could see numerous hangars. Kai assumed that the space station contained thousands of those small space fighters. After a sharp turn around one of the four edges of the station, Te´ran tilted his fighter and dived into one of the small hangars. Xev followed without hesitation and landed the moth next to the fighter. The flight deck wasn´t very big, and Xex asked herself how many accidents might happened in the past, if one of the pilots hadn´t found the right angle to land. She sighed and wanted to abandon the moth. Kai caught her arm before she could lift the lid. Puzzled she looked at him. "Wait," he said. "Why? Is anything wrong?" she asked startled. Kai pointed with his head at the rear. "Don´t leave the moth before the hangar doors are closed, otherwise…" "…it´s getting a bit uncomfortable inside!" Stan finished the sentence, whilst watching the closing doors. "Oh," meant Xev, she hadn´t thought about it. Kai loosen his grip and let go of her. Xev sighed inwardly, as always, she felt his touch resonate for a long time. Almost entreatingly her glance begged for another touch. But he wasn´t responsive to her.

When they saw movement next to the small fighter, they also left their vehicle. "Wow!" Stan said in awe. "It seems that nearly everything is built of this organic material!" He drew nearer to the wall and touched it carefully. It wasn´t very different from those inside the Lexx, this one vibrated softly, too. "I´m also fascinated every time about this material, isn´t it unbelievable what can be built with it?" Te´ran approached them with a curious look on his face. "I´m pleased to meet you!" He put forth his hand and greeted them individually. Both sides examined each other. Te´ran was of middle height, slim with a well-fitting uniform. A smile appeared on his chiseled face and he stroke back his unruly brown hair. Despite his warm smile, Xev could see many worries shining through, his bright green eyes weren´t laughing with the rest.

Te´ran wondered about this remarkable bunch standing in front of him. This scantily clad, beautiful woman, the man with the red jumpsuit, who seemed to be nervous all the time and finally his direct opposite, the tall, slender man in black, who observed his environment with the cool and calm behavior of an experienced warrior. And of course, there was this robot head. He had so many questions he wanted to ask them, but no time for it. He pushed his curiosity back and asked them to follow. He guided them into a neighboring meeting room, where the announced greeting committee awaited them.


	11. Welcome to Arcannea Part1

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 10

**Welcome to Arcannea Part1**

They were five.

In front of them stood a tall, slender woman in a deep blue sleeveless dress. She had black hair, which was riddled with red streaks. Her skin was tanned from sunlight and Xev discovered strange marks, assumedly tattoos, running down her neck on both sides, across her shoulders and arms down to her wrists, where they end in a devoured pattern. She recognized the surrounding aura of authority immediately when she looked into her face. Her face didn´t give her age away, even if Xev discovered visible traces of responsibility and worries in it.

Her escort wore civil clothes, too. They were three middle-aged men and a younger woman. One of the men showed similar tattoos like her, but she couldn´t see them completely, as they vanished under his long sleeves. Xev drew her attention back to Te´ran when he cleared his throat and rose to speak: "Our highly worshipped president of the Arcannean Alliance: Shereen!"

The tall woman made a step forward to greet the crew of the Lexx. "I´d like to welcome you here on our Arcannea Space Station and to our home, the Arcannea planetary system." She paused a second, letting her gaze wander over the three humanoids. Xev determined that her eyes were silver colored. "I´m sorry that you got accidentally into the line of fire of this conflict. I hope you and your ship weren´t damaged somehow, if, we´ll support you in every way possible, of course." Stanley shook his head and calmed her: "Don´t worry, Ma´am. The Lexx isn´t that easy to damage or destroy. I´m Stanley H. Tweedle, captain of the Lexx." Xev noticed relieved that he didn´t gloat over it like usually. It seemed that the authority of this woman didn´t fail its effect on him. Shereen took his presented hand and smiled friendly at him. "Xev Bellringer," Xev introduced herself as next, not surprised by the firm and resolute handshake of Shereen. Yes, this woman was every inch a true person of authority. Shereen smiled, as if she had read Xev´s thoughts.

Well, it wasn´t that wrong.

Shereen knew her effects to other people, but this was one cause why she had been chosen for this presidency. She led the council since 46 years now, a strong president they truly need in those difficult times. Shereen originated from Sha´ra, the third planet in this system, the water planet. Her ancestors only survived on their hostile planet because of their fierce power and their strong will to survive. The Sha´ran race hadn´t lost this and many other talents to this day. Shereen was a telepath, nothing unusual among her people. But for the presidency it was an important requirement. So, most presidents of the Alliance came from Sha´ra. It was no surprise to her family that she stepped into their shoes. She followed suit the former president, when his power diminished. The skills she had were important to rule the Arcannean Alliance. No technology was as fast as a direct contact with her council or her counselors, which often were spread all over those many planets, belonging to the Alliance. Over the last 3000 years it had proved to be really useful, any decision could be made without time delay. Of course, it wasn´t that easy all the time, she never really had leisure-time. But when she needed some time-out for privacy or other important meetings, her personal counselors, fulfilled this task during that time. One was with her now, so Shereen could throw her whole concentration to this meeting and to the weird crew of this far more weird ship, which evoke some unpleasant memories. Her skills weren´t designed to spy on people, but she wanted to be sure, that this people weren´t some threat to the Alliance. Especially when she thought of the ship and its destruction potential. They weren´t able to afford a two fronting war. She concentrated to find out more about them. It was often enough to observe their vacillation to learn if they were trustworthy or not. When she shook hands with Stan and Xev, she couldn´t determine any animosity. Stan seemed to be a man-in-the-street, admitted, with a lot of complexes, but over all he seemed to be an honest man. Xev now, she was very friendly, but she could sense another side of her, a strange part she wasn´t able to classify. It calmed her that everything else seemed to be friendly. When the robot head introduced himself as 790, she was very surprised and a bit amused, too. This was the strangest personality she ever had met. Even if she wasn´t able to detect anything besides complete addiction towards Xev, she never had thought of him as a threat, maybe because of the absence of a body. "Why only the head?" she asked curious. "A little accident…" Xev smiled and patted 790´s metal case. "It´s a long story!" "Ah," Shereen smiled back, when she felt Xev´s merriment. A part of her hoped to hear this story sometime. Then she turned to the last crewmember.

Kai took a back seat the whole time. Despite this new situation, the sensations and everything else that had changed for him, the assassin inside him was still present and wide-awake. If needed, this part of his personality would protect Xev and Stan against every danger they might get in. But so far, he couldn´t detect anything threateningly, what relaxed him a bit. So he observed the Arcannea to learn if they might really be the old allies of the BrunnenG. "And you are…?" the president cut his train of thoughts. "I´m Kai, Mrs. President," he answered friendly and shook her hand. Shereen winced ever so slightly when she touched his hand, but Kai didn´t miss this reaction. She didn´t retract her hand at once, instead, she closed her eyes for a moment as if to cope with a huge flow of information or sensations, because he saw her features flicker with sorrow and regret. There was no other explanation to him, that she was able to read his mind, or at least his sensations. In his countless memories he found numerous hints referring to this skill, and he protected himself immediately. Before she withdrew from his thoughts he heard a clear I´m sorry , echoing through his mind. Whether it was meant for her intrusion or for what she had discovered, he didn´t know, but with a barely visible nod he accepted her apology. Shereen was relieved that no one took notice of this strange incident. For the first time in her life, she was happy that her training for control was at last worth something. He had less in common with his friends. The flood of sensations and the disordered structure of his mind shocked her. She had never experienced something like that. It appeared to her that not all of these chaotic thoughts were his. But she couldn´t explain why. Another thing she recognized, were his deep and painful sad sensations. This man radiated a darkness she had only felt within bad persons or very unhappy people. It calmed her, that she couldn´t detect any ferocity inside him, but whatever had caused this, it must have been a real tragic occasion. She now was very eager to hear their story, but before, she still had a few questions. "Your ship is very interesting. I´ve never seen anything like that!" she said, continuing their conversation. "It is unique. Lexx isn´t only a ship. He lives, he is intelligent – well, to a certain degree, if he gets hungry, it´s getting complicated, but otherwise it´s quite easy to handle with him," Stan explained proudly. "It lives?" Te´ran asked. "That´s interesting, but how do you control a living ship with his own mind, I mean, don´t get me wrong, I don´t want to know any secrets, but as I´m a pilot I´m really interested in this matter." Stan scratched his chin and considered his question for a moment. He looked at Xev and Kai, waiting for any objections, but they didn´t say anything. "The Lexx obeys only my orders. No one else can. It´s a kind of key I possess," he answered carefully, leaving out further details. They always had had enough trouble in the past, because of this key, so he became more careful with any information referring to it. "Mh, I understand, but despite all this advanced technology, it´s still an insect ship." Shereen said sharply, calling a spade a spade. Kai looked at her and spoke for the first time: "You know insect ships?" Shereen sighed: "I´m sorry, you really don´t know anything about our history, I think I should start at the beginning to explain why I knew insect ships, but unfortunately there is so little time for long stories. But you must understand, we´re at war, and even though you saved many lives on our side, I have to be sure that you´re no threat to us. I´m sure about that now and I really want to hear what brought you here, but I have to return to the council soon. So I want to invite you to stay with us, on Arcan´s. There were plenty of quarters and many possibilities to have fun. That´s only a small offer we can give you in return for now, but we´d be very proud to welcome you as our guests." Shereen offered them. Xev smiled, mentioning an invitation on one of their planets with good quarters and fun excited her. "Why not, I´d love that. What do you think?" she asked her companions. "Where ever you go…I´ll be with you!" 790 whispered. Stan nodded in agreement and Kai tilted his head slightly. "We´re honored. Te´ran will explain and show you everything. I think we´ll meet tomorrow, I want to invite you for dinner, so maybe we can exchange our stories. To tell stories in combination with a meal is tradition amongst my people. I hope you will accept?" Xev spoke again for her friends, exactly knowing that the chance of a good meal would made them agree. "That´s fine by us!" "Good. I´m sorry that there´s not very much time, but this war needs our full attention at the moment. It broaden, and we´re almost with our backs to the wall." Shereen sighed. "How does this war start?" Kai asked. The president looked at him: "We were caught off guard. We thought we were so high developed, that some potential enemies were no threat to us – but I think now we´re disabused. When we survive this war, for future we´ve learned something important: You should never overprice your own acquisitions and you should always watch beyond your borders." Kai nodded slightly, this was an issue his own people had forgotten, too – to take a look outside. Shereen turned to her escort and nodded shortly at one of the men. It was time to go, he had transmitted to her that the council was about to meet. "Let us talk again tomorrow, I have to go now," she smiled warmly and left the room. Te´ran stayed behind and now it was his task to look after their guests. "I´ll take you to your quarters on Arcan´s, if you´d like to follow me, please?" "Wherefrom she did know, that she had to go back?" Xev asked curiously when they left the room. "No one had told her…" "She´s …" Te´ran started. "…a telepath," Kai closed the sentence without turning around. Te´ran looked astonished at the tall man: "That´s right, wherefrom…?" "…I have this knowledge? I felt it when she greeted us. A part of me has some…experience with skills of this kind," Kai explained, it was difficult to describe someone his source of information without further explanations. There was no need to do that for the moment. "Oh," Te´ran nodded, this people were really strange. But if Shereen saw no concern to invite them, he would never argue against it. He changed the topic, when they walked through different corridors of the station. Huge observation windows let them look outside. They could see all those big ships orbiting the station far away. "A fascinating ship," Te´ran said, when the Lexx passed. "The most powerful ship in the two universes!" Stan said. "Two universes?" Te´ran asked. "There´s only one, at least what I know. Where do you come from, that you believe in something like the existence of two universes?" "We´re from the Cluster, it´s in the LightZone. There we´ve stolen the Lexx and passed through the fractal core into the DarkZone, well, that´s where we´re now!" "Cluster? LightZone, DarkZone, fractal core? I´ve never heard about it. Alright, the thesis about the existence of two universes I remember…. Some of our scientists deal with it. The assumption emanated from some old recordings, which were rediscovered not long ago. History and astronomy are my hobbies, you must know." "How old are those recordings?" Kai asked interested. "My god, very very old, ten till twelve thousand years," he chuckled, "Don´t tell them that you´re from another universe, they would tear you apart until they knew everything." He stopped and let them enter another hangar, where a shuttle waited for them. He identified himself to the security control and then they boarded the shuttle.

He navigated them with high speed down to Arcan´s, and then he slowed down to give them a sight seeing flight. "Beautiful," Xev murmured, when they flew in half an hour over coasts, sea, cities and different landscapes. "Yes, I love Arcan´s very much. It´s my home. I was born on the southern hemisphere. That´s where we live, when we´re not on Sha´ra." "We?" asked Xev. "Shereen and me. Oh, I´m sorry, I haven´t mentioned it, she´s my wife!" he explained smiling. "Ah, so she´s not from Arcan´s?" Xev asked. "No, she´s from Sha´ra, the water planet. It´s a very beautiful planet, too, whether life is much harder there, even today. But if you´re origin from a water planet you always have to go back…there´s no compare with other oceans." Te´ran said, revealing a little more about himself. "I don´t like water planets…" Stan murmured. "The last time we visited one, we only were in trouble, not to speak about the experience to drown…!" "Desert planets are worse," Xev answered. "Both are, it´s only the other extreme. So I like planets which look more like this jewel…" Stan pointed at Arcan´s. "If you know Arcan´s that good…how is it here to… you know…. have fun, to meet…yeah, nice, pretty women?" "Forget it Tweedle, who wants to walk along the beach with such a ugly, incompetent, cowardly guy like you!" 790 snarled. "Oh, shut up, 790! At least I´m able to _walk_ – unlike you!" Stan threw an angry look at the robot head. Te´ran watched them amused. "It´s nothing unusual," Xev grinned. "Xev, darling, _he_ is not normal, someone should do a lobotomy on him!" "790! Stop it!" Xev warned the head. Te´ran looked questioningly at her. "Well, 790 is completely in love with me, since he got the love slave treatment instead of me." "Love slave treatment?" Te´ran asked. "Yes, I was altered into a love slave, when they put this sentence on me for failing to perform my wifely duties. When they transformed my body, a cluster lizard had eaten 790´s body and I had freed myself. 790´s head was the only thing that remained, and so he got the love slave treatment, because I put him under this device. Since that day, he is completely addicted to me, because I have been the first person he saw after the treatment." "Don´t forget to mention that he was in love with Kai for some time," Stan grinned. "That´s not true, bah, I´ve never done something dirty…ugly…Xev-betrayingly things…. unless I have had a malfunction!" 790 revolted. "You have, 790, and you weren´t malfunction." Xev patted his metal case. "Wuahhhh, no, that´s not true, never….""Hey, whatever it was, it´s over now, isn´t it?" Xev calmed him. "You´re right, my delicious one…don´t let us talk about it anymore!" "Where do you come from where such weird punishments were done?" Te´ran asked. "It´s a real long story…" Xev sighed. "I think I have to wait till tomorrow because we have reached our destination. But I´m very excited to hear it." He slowed the shuttle down and landed it softly on the ground. "If you want to have fun and the opportunity to meet women," Te´ran smiled, " Then you have to go to the center of Shar´ta´n. There you´ll find everything what makes fun. Bars, restaurants, dance, music, theater…everything. Come with me, I´ll show you where we have landed." Te´ran left the shuttle and the Lexx crew followed him. Leaving the shuttle, the first thing Xev enjoyed was the warm weather and the sun shining from the sky. They had landed on a free space in a huge, well-kept garden. Beautiful flowers and trees were growing everywhere, foreign animals were audible and a small ditch wiggled some meters through the grass. Te´ran pointed to the right, where she could see some low, one-storied houses, under the huge trees, she also spotted a glittering amongst the stems, and asked: "Are they built right next to the sea?" Te´ran nodded: "Yes, it´s a cove, very idyllic. I think you´ll find it very suitable. How many quarters you´ll need?" Xev looked at Kai questioningly, but his attention was elsewhere, so she decided for them both. "Two are enough, I think, one for Stan and one for me and Kai. Is that ok for you Stan?" "Of course…as long as 790 stays with you both…!" Stan agreed. Xev laughed, she knew from the beginning that she wouldn´t have any choice, even though it was not very comfortable to have 790 around when she wanted to be alone with Kai, but like she thought before…she had no choice. Te´ran gave her two silvery cards and said: "They´re the keys to your quarters. If you want to go to Shar´ta´n center, to the nightclub district, you just have to walk along the beach, it´s only a few minutes. If you want to know anything further, you can use the information network, you have access to it in every quarter. If there ain´t any questions, I have to go back, I´ll be back tomorrow to fetch you up, I´ll let you know. Welcome to Arcan´s!" Xev smiled thankfully and Te´ran went back into his shuttle. The three stepped back a bit to let him start, and a few seconds later he was gone. Xevs smile wasn´t able to fade. She breathed deeply to enjoy the flowery scent and let the sun warm her up. The clusterlizard inside her growled in excitement. "I really like it!" she said happily and started to explore the garden. With 790 under her arm she walked from one flower to the next, sniffed here and there a bit and let the cool water of the small ditch run through her fingers. Stan also couldn´t deny his interest in this beautiful place. He forgot his usual concern about everything and anything and let sank the beauty in. Kai still stood where he first had stopped. Each part of his body had to cope with this new experience. It was the first time he was outdoors, on a planet, since he was alive again. So there were many new things he had to adapt to. He blinked into the sun, let the warmth heating up his face. His head nearly swirled from all those scents and noises he was able to hear and smell. But he also felt a wonderful satisfaction when he looked around. Xev was right this was a wonderful place. He only had seen some kind of this in his memories. The small gardens on Brunnis, located underground like everything else, hadn´t been as beautiful as the real ones outside…

He closed his eyes for a moment, he could stand here for the rest of his life if necessary. The peaceful sensations inside comfort him and he was glad to feel something simple and strong again.

"Kai?" Xev´s voice woke him finally. She stood a few meters away, Stan next to her, it seemed that they wanted to head to the quarters. With slight regret he closed the distance between them and looked inquiring at her. "Stan wants to go to his quarter, maybe we should go too?" she wanted to know. Kai nodded slightly. Xev put out the two silvery cards she got from Te´ran. "How do we find the right one?" she asked with knitted brows, studying the symbols on the card she wasn´t able to read. Stan looked closer at them, took one of it: "I think, we just have to compare the numbers, imprinted onto this cards, with the equal number on those buildings!" "Oh…" Xev said. "They´re numbers, seems that my flat has number 8," Stan announced happily. "Should have known…." Xev stopped, she felt a bit sheepish about her disability to read and write. But for her, as a woman raised up in a box, and educated in the wife-bank, this skill wasn´t needed or wanted. She was trained to obey her husband to be, and everything else to make him happy – not herself. So there was no need to learn writing and reading. Furthermore, it hadn´t been predictable, that her carefully planned life finally ended up this way. Until now, she was never in need of these skills. Embarrassed she looked sideward, when Stan walked happily whistling towards the small houses. It was obvious that he wanted to go to the town soon after he had inspected his quarter and maybe taken a shower. "Don´t get into trouble!" she called after him. "Not me…!" he shouted back. "I hope that you´ll get into trouble!" 790 growled loudly. "Then they´ll lock you away and you can rot!" Stan ignored 790 completely, the insane robot head wasn´t able to diminish his good mood. He waved back and then he vanished behind those huge trees. Kai looked at Xev: "What´s with you?" he asked softly. He had noticed the sudden change in her humor, and it could only be a serious thing that was able to trouble her mood like this. Xev shook her head, glanced back at him for a second before she dropped her gaze back to the floor. Was she stupid, because she couldn´t master something rudimentary? Sometimes she felt like it, especially in Kai´s presence. He was long before her birth and his own death a very intelligent and cultured man. Added to it, he carried the memories of those who had been killed by his shadow, amongst them surely a lot of high educated and genius people. In those moments she regretted that she had never enjoyed a proper education, and then she felt very very small. Like now. She raised her gaze, when she felt his hand touching hers. He still looked questioningly at her. Xev hesitated, normally she was too shy to tell someone about it, but every time she looked into his eyes, she knew that she needn´t be afraid or ashamed to tell _him_ about her inadequateness. He would never laugh about it. And so it came out in a sigh what depressed her. Kai seemed to be a little puzzled about this, but he replied seriously to her, that there were enough possibilities to change that issue, if she wanted to. "How?" she asked shyly. "I´d teach you…" he offered simply. "Is that possible?" she continued asking. "Why not? You may not have the knowledge of some things, but you´re intelligent. You´re learning fast, why shouldn´t it be impossible to learn reading and writing?" She nodded, it sounded logically to her. "Besides that, to have knowledge doesn´t mean to be a genius…or a high intelligent person. You still need your brain to use this knowledge," he added. Xev smiled again: "I know. I´m glad that you´d help me…I hope we can start with it soon!" Kai nodded, it was at least something he could give to her in return. She looked around one more time, when a twinkle caught her attention. Some distance away she saw a large object glinting in the sunlight. She wondered why she hadn´t seen it before. She pointed it out to Kai, and started to move into the direction. "Coming?" Soon she saw that it was placed in a special place in this garden. Many beautiful flowers were blooming there, a fountain babbled low and some benches were placed around. She put 790 down on one of the benches and moved closer to the object. The twinkle decreased when she drew nearer, and she was able to see single parts of it more sharply. The object was made of a white crystal material and was placed on a low socket. It was about two meters high and very impressive. Xev identified a large, insect-shaped life form surrounded by several human figures. Fascinated she observed this detailed work. The humans showed grim, resolute features and seemed to fight against the weird life form, because they carried weapons and threatened the creature with them. Xev shook her head in wonder, the being really looked like an insect, slender body, wings, a long tail…even a little like the Lexx. None of the humans looked like the other. Every single one of them had different clothes, different weapons and other significant characteristics. Her gaze wandered to the insect´s, or whatever it was, head, where one of the humans was in the very act of thrusting his weapon into its neck. She didn´t believe her eyes when she recognized, whom this human represented. "Kai!" she whispered. But her mate already drew the same consequences. "It´s a, that´s a…!" "…BrunnenG," he closed the sentence without surprise. Besides all the other evidences, this was the ultimate one, which confirmed all his assumptions. "How's that possible?" she asked, but the realization already hit her, when she observed the insect shaped creature. "The insect war?" she said. Kai turned to face her, but his gaze directed at the sky. "Yes," "But that´s thousands of years ago…" "21000, yes," He looked back at her. "But how? I mean…wait, what´s this?" she leveled herself to the bottom of the socket and pointed at some inscriptions. One of them seemed to be familiar to her…Brunnis; she had seen it on Brunnis, the planet of Kai´s ancestors. Kai knelt down next to her and looked at the inscriptions. "Can you read it?" she asked impatiently. He couldn´t read the first lines, but he was sure that they were the arcannean script. But the lines beneath he knew very well…

"In respectful and grateful memory to our ancestors

and the victory of the human race against the insect civilization in the great war.

We honor the dead and our past!"

Kai read the brunnish script without any problems. Admitted it was long ago, that he had learned and read them the last time, he even counted out his visit on the origin planet of his people. There hadn´t been much to read, besides some symbols.

"In gratitude to our allies:

the Share´n, who always fought at the front

the Varion, who fought until their last warrior died and who sacrificed their home to save our lives

the Fallea,…."

Endless names and earnings followed till the closing rate:

"We bow before the most bravest warriors our universe ever has seen. It was their courage and their desert we won this war – honor and thank to the…. BrunnenG,"

he stopped. Kai traced the writing with the name of his people with his fingertips. Softly, Xev touched his shoulders: "Kai?" He sighed: "I never expected that somewhere a place still exists where my ancestors are remembered as the great warriors they once were." "They really must have been great warriors!" Xev looked at the memorial, then back to Kai. She remembered his story. The discovery of never ending life might have diminished the BrunnenG to an old stagnant society, but the heir of their great past had survived in their newborn. Kai was the best indicative for it. His heroic tries to stop His Shadow left no doubt to it. "Like you!" she finally said. Kai dropped his head. "They were…. but…" Xev interrupted him:" Stop it, you´re so similar to them, with all you courage and bravery, don´t lie to yourself." Kai looked at her in surprise, when he heard her stern and resolute voice. "Haven´t _you_ told me We found a good way to die ? When _you_ made a stand against His Shadow? Like your ancestors did, when they fought against the insects, uncertain if they ever come back, but certain by the fact that they would face death with pride and without fear. So did your friends – and _you_! You´re truly a BrunnenG, more like all your people at your time, don´t count what had been between your lives, everything what counts you can find here…" She laid her hand on his heart, "And that´s still inside here…! I am right, ain´t I?" Xev looked deep into his eyes, fierce and adamant. He kept silent, remembered the day, when he had put himself into question. Had he listened to his heart this day? No, probably not. It was right, they had made stand against an invincible enemy, without hesitation, knowing exactly that they would never leave their tiny ships alive. Kai felt deep inside, that Xev was right, he hadn´t listened to his heart in the past, his mind had been too busy to deal with his guilt, and so he forgot to ask another voice of his. Kai gulped, he had been a warrior, someone who had done his ancestors credit. And he would have been died this way – hadn´t His Shadow had other plans and ideas. Destiny had spoken. Kai closed his eyes. It was difficult to accept what happened between his two lives. Maybe one day he could, and maybe his memory to what he once had been would help him to find this way. There was nothing more important to him as to retrieve what he had done during his 2000 years of assassination in the serve of His Divine Shadow. Maybe it was not an accident that they had come here. Maybe it was another twist of fate. His dream, their meeting with the descendants of an old ally, who were now involved in another war with an, obviously superior, enemy. Was it their fate, his fate, to help? He wasn´t sure, that dependent on what else they would learn about the Arcannea and the war. "Kai?" Xev asked. She hoped that she hadn´t gone too far, when she talked at him so resolute. His soul was an open wound, and far was it from her to rub salt into his wounds. Kai raised his gaze. She wanted an answer and she deserved one. It wasn´t easy for him to talk about, but he could fool neither her nor himself. "You´re right," his voice trembled lightly, "2000 years of murder and other cruelties let me doubt about many things, first of all to myself, Xev." The sorrow in his voice was clearly audible, he couldn´t prevent it. "I once was like them, but I still have another past, a past I´m not very proud of. This is, what makes me doubt to call myself a BrunnenG. Both issues are opponents, they´re like fire and water. Is one moment of heroism enough to delete, or forget 2000 years of assassination? I don´t know, Xev. I don´t think so. The decision is not on me." "Then I´ll do it for you," Xev swallowed hard. "You´re not a mindless assassin anymore, you once were a warrior, and you still are…and you´re a BrunnenG. That´s what I think and what I believe in!" She put her arms around him, squeezed him slightly. "It´s a bitter irony," he said after a few moments and freed himself of her embrace. His eyes were gazing sadly at her. "What?" she asked. He pointed at the memorial. "The BrunnenG once defeated the insects – but by their retreat from everything outside their world, because of their disinterest in other human races, they let another insect conquer and destroy humanity again. If my people wouldn´t have discovered immortality, they hadn´t withdrawn and they could have helped so many in the LightZone." A bitter smile shone on his lips when he said those words. "Or maybe, if I could have killed him, many other people could have been saved," he added. "Destiny is a cruel game. What would it do to us now?" Xev asked. Kai sighed, he wasn´t sure about, but maybe it was at the time to tell Xev about his dream and the discovery he had made. So he told her about his dreamlike memory and the connection he discovered between it and this planetary system and its people. "You already know this planet?" she asked surprised. "I´ve never been here, Xev, but like I told you, I´ve learned a little about the human alliance at school. That´s all I know about them." "Hm, now we´re here too, what do you think?" she mused. "About what?" came his reply. "About this situation, I mean, it´s a strange coincidence, isn´t it?" "I´m not sure if it really is a coincidence. Many strange things happened of late. First I got my life back, second, I dreamt about something I´ve learned as child about the insect wars and the human alliance, and third – we met one nation of this alliance by accident…. only strange luck or is it maybe more?" he told her. Xev nodded. If it was a coincidence, it was the most remarkable one. "And what if it´s no coincidence?" She asked carefully. "You mean if it´s destined that we have to be here? I don´t know. Maybe we should help them with their problems. It seemed that they are threatened by a superior enemy," Kai said. "Maybe. We´ve seen that the Lexx is strong enough to defeat them. But on the other side…who tells us who is right in this conflict? Why we should interfere…" Xev hesitated. Yes, the people they met, were nice and friendly, but Prince had been friendly in the beginning too…she never want to make the same fault again. Sometimes it took time to discover the real enemy. "We still have interfered, Xev. We have destroyed a whole fleet of ships, their enemies. I think for their enemies it´s clear which side we have chosen. I only see two possibilities, to adopt a neutral position, or help the Arcannea," Kai explained. Xev shook her head. "We still have so few information, to be on the safe side we must learn more, Kai!" "You´re right, we have to. I want to know more about their past, I´m almost certain that we can learn a lot about them if we know more about the past 20000 years," Kai agreed. Xev looked back at the memorial. It was really strange that they were constantly confronted with insects, remains of His Shadows reign and other weird things. His Shadow. Xev shivered. He had been an insect too, the last surviving insect. He must have managed somehow to cross from the DarkZone into the LightZone. Potentially the same way the BrunnenG took. With the difference that the arrival and discovery of this last insect meant thousands of years slavery, war and death for most humans in the LightZone. They had to pay for something that happened in the DarkZone. Until the wrath of this last insect finally hit those who were mainly responsible for the destruction of his race – the BrunnenG. For the first time she was able to look at the whole story. Since she had met Kai, she had learned a lot more about all those things, which had led to His Shadows reign of terror, his plan to extinguish the human race. It was a horrible imagination to see all humanity gone. His Shadow hated all humanity, but unlike Mantrid, who really destroyed a whole universe with its entire people in a short time, His Shadow wanted to let the humans suffer. He enslaved them, put a reign of terror above them. She was sure that his thirst for revenge had reached a new peak when he destroyed Kais planet and with it the entire BrunnenG race, except for Kai. He saved him to punish the BrunnenG beyond death. And what was the worst one can do to people who had fought and won against the insects? You make the last of them a slave for your own evil plans. So His Shadow did. He turned Kai into an undead killing machine, a mockery of life, two things so dishonorable to every BrunnenG – a slap in the face to this old legendary people. And of course he wanted to demoralize the whole resistance, first in line the OstrolB heretics – by making a mockery out of the prophecy many people had put all their faith and hope in, these days.

Xev pushed those unpleasant thoughts back. What happened in the past was tragic enough, especially for her beloved. She had only a glimpse idea how he must feel when he thought about his past as assassin. Not only because he had killed, no, there was still the other aspect, to be a BrunnenG and the slave of an insect at the same time. As a mindless assassin it hadn´t meant anything to him, she wasn´t sure if it had meant anything to him, when he got his memories back, for he was not able to feel, but she was sure that now, it was something what troubled him and he had to deal with too. She suppressed her sorrow for him and asked in a, hopefully, normal voice: "Should we go to our quarter, too?" Kai nodded: "Yes, why not." They left the memorial and Xev picked up 790 on the way. "I just want to know how they will react when they learn where you´re from," she said. "I hope they don´t get it wrong," he answered calm. "You mean, if they recognized you as BrunnenG they might have seen some symbolism in it?" she pointed at his hair, now understanding why he avoided to wear his usual hair-do. "They recognized our ship clearly as insect, Xev, we also have fought with modified insect ships. Maybe you can imagine what might had happened, if a BrunnenG returned after 18000 years with such a ship…and they are in trouble!" "You won´t awake false hope…"she said thoughtful. "My people were gone, Xev, they left the DarkZone 18000 years ago – they hadn´t have any contact with them since, and we both know that my people were extinguished 6000 years ago, something they don´t know, too. The BrunnenG won´t help them, because they can´t!" his voice was barely audible with the last words. Xev saw him dropping his gaze to the ground. "Maybe one is enough, don´t forget that we have the Lexx, the most powerful ship in both universes!" Kais shook his head slightly: "Whereby we´re back with the issue about destiny…let us talk about this tomorrow, when we meet president Shereen. Maybe some things will be more clear to us!" he said, closing the topic. "Good idea. It lead us to nothing to brood over this topic without more information, you´re right." They reached the entrance of another small garden, which was surrounded by a low fence. A few meters inside they saw some steps leading down to two small houses. They were built under some huge trees and close to each other. Xev could see the symbol painted to the front wall, next to the door. It was equal to those at the card. Kai took the card and said: "I guess Stan took the right domicile, number 8, so we have to take number seven." He pointed at the right house. "So those symbols are numbers! This is a seven and this is an eight," she made a mental note of it. Better to start learning now. Kai nodded and walked to the door, opened it by drawing the card through the card reader. The door opened to a bright and friendly domicile. "Wow!" she said surprised. The entrance, a short corridor, was lit up with lamps, and led directly into one small room. She entered, while Kai closed the door behind them. Xev looked around in this comfortable arranged room. Several windows, embedded at the ceiling and the front, lit it. A larger suite was arranged in the middle of the room, on the right wall she saw a large screen, maybe a communication system, because she recognized a service panel next to it. Some stylish furniture completed the arrangement. Curiously she put her attention to the front windows. She drew nearer and looked out. Te´ran was right. Right behind this house was a small terrace, followed suit by a pretty beach, and, of course, the sea. It was a small bay, their domicile lay on the outer left side, only three other similar houses were built in this bay. She put 790 down to the ground and opened the door. Kai still stood halfway between the corridor and what seemed to be the living room. He didn´t say a word, instead his gaze followed Xev and he had to smile. She once again was on a discovery tour. He watched her slipping through the door and walking over the beach. Then he put his attention back to the arrangement of this room. He picked up 790 and put him onto the desk in front of the screen. He was sure that it was a communication system as well as a multimedia system, very similar to those he had used on Brunnis2. He switched it on and connected 790 to it, he asked: "Can you please record every information you can find about the insect wars and this current war?" "Why?" the robot head demanded to know. "Please, Xev is as much interested in it than I am." "I´ll ask her!" 790 said grimly. "If you like…!" Kai answered calm. He knew exactly that Xev would agree to everything he wanted to know from 790, and he also knew that this was something 790 would also know. So it wasn´t any surprise to him, that 790, after he threw the gloomiest gaze he could at Kai with his digital eyes, agreed: "All right…" He latched into the system and mumbled at himself. His Xev was so easily persuaded, and the fault was clearly with those intriguer, brainless proteinbags called Stan and Kai. They really were the worst company for his princess. At least he was this opinion. Xev always wasn´t. She clearly was a victim by circumstance, and he deeply hoped, that someday he would find a solution for this problem. Well, _now_ he couldn´t do anything, so he started the requested investigation.


	12. Welcome to Arcannea Part2

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

The story takes place after season 3, didn´t bear the 4 season in mind. I reprogrammed 790 to be in love with Xev again, cause it fits my story better. But you´ll see when you read….

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 11

Welcome to Arcannea Part2

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUAL TOPICS!  
PLEASE DONT READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU ARE UNDER 17 (OR DO IT ON YOUR OWN RISK); OR IF YOU FEEL NOT ADULT ENOUGH, TOO PRIM OR WHATEVER...

Kai looked back to the glass front and decided to follow Xev outside. He had already recognized the salty air when they neared the house, but now, the scent was quite more intensive. Fascinated he slowly breathed in. The memory of another sea crept into his mind. On Brunnis2 they also had have white shores and sea, but he only had been there a few times. The BrunnenG society had been located underground. To be on the surface, had meant to risk harm through injuries, or damage through the environment. And so, their subterranean world wasn´t only artificial, but their food and air, too. Everything was strictly controlled. It had been a much too restricted life for Kai, so he had ignored the advice to go to the surface more than once. Of course, it wasn´t really forbidden to go to the surface, but only very few had taken the risk to get infected with some imaginary threats outside. But he had been different from the beginning and he never had cared about the fear of the elders. It had brought him trouble enough to be such a rebellious mind. But what could he have done? He wanted to explore, there was so much to explore outside…something only the other newborns could understand. Not all of them, but most. The experience to go outdoors, to breath fresh air, not filtered air, had been indescribable at those times. It made the cleaning procedure after they returned, less uncomfortable. Of course, no one wanted some germs or other invisible threats in their subterranean world. So they had to visit the cleaning chamber first. Or like Kai had preferred to call it: disinfections chamber. Hadn´t their bodies been immune against nearly everything, he was sure that he had become rather ill from this treatment than from the environment on Brunnis surface. But to see nature, to see the sea was worth to sit three hours naked in a cold chamber with his friends and discuss about this senseless treatment.

Kai closed his eyes and concentrated to this peaceful, calm atmosphere the scenery produced. He listened to the soft rolling waves, heard them softly swashing over the shore. Finally he relaxed a bit, he was grateful to be able to experience all that again. When he heard Xev´s giggling somewhere in front of him, he opened the eyes for a short moment. She bounced through the waves, played with them like a child. Kai smiled and tilted his head slightly, he could understand her oh so well… For the first time since they met, he saw her that happy and hilarious. And he was glad about it. She never had had an easy life, too. And she certainly hadn´t have a real childhood than he had. He might have had a more violent past, but at least he had had parents who really loved him, who had cared about him when he grew up. Xev never had. Her parents didn´t care about her, didn´t love her, so she neither had a childhood nor parental care and love. Instead she had to grow up in a holocare home. As an assassin, it was nothing he had to care about, but he had been there once, he was ordered to go there, because one time the heretics tried to infiltrate His Shadows system in this way. Who could suspect a child for being not what it pretends to be. In fact, those children had been children on the outside, but in reality they were older than 20 or 30. His memory of this order made him shiver when he thought about this holocare home, one of so many. It was so like everything the Cluster had represented: cold, inhuman and sterile, an evil place. Those children didn´t get love or even a life! And Xev had been one of them. Her situation hadn´t changed after she grew old enough to leave the holocare home. She had to attend the wife bank right after. And this place hadn´t been anything different.

She first started to life when she fled from the Cluster. Real love wasn´t included at this point in time. No love. She really hadn´t experienced this so important sensation before. He couldn´t barely imagine that. He remembered something Xev once said: A loveless love slave. It made him feel sorry that at least he hadn´t been able to give her some love for such a long time. After all she had done for him, there hadn´t been anything equal he could give her back in return. Sometimes he asked himself how she turned out the woman she used to be now. So full of care for other people she was addicted to, so strong-minded and…full of love for a man who hadn´t been able to return this love. He shook his head slowly. Poor Xev he thought I wished life had turned out in a more comfortable way for you It must have been very difficult to love someone who couldn´t love, who couldn´t feel anything at all. Once again he thought about his decision to stay with Stan and Xev and to protect them. Maybe this decision was born out of the addiction Xev had shown towards him. Maybe it was his way to show his care about them, about Xev. When he returned to life, it was one of the first things he had felt -love, for her. Oh yes, love was such a strong sensation that even the dead can be touched by it, in a complete different way, but maybe this was the cause for his, under normal circumstances completely illogical, behavior.

Kai determined that it was a strange sensation to think about himself in this way. To remember what he might have thought as a dead man was nearly impossible now. His way to think had changed with all this emotions stirring through him. This person had gone completely foreign to him. And he partially was glad about it. There was enough left over from this person. He opened his eyes again when he heard her footsteps drawing nearer to him. "Thoughts?" she asked. He nodded. Xev came closer and touched his cheek softly. "Bad one´s?" her face expressed her concern. Kai smiled: "No, not really." But then he got more serious: "Xev, whatever will happen…I´ll be there for you – forever!" "Shhh," she silenced him with her fingertip on his lips. "You ever was, I know that!" Kai nodded and looked deep into her eyes. There were no further words necessary, they could get along with each other in this way without problems. This moment lasted forever…if you´re in love, you know this magical seconds where eternity can nearly be touched. They were first distracted when the sun flamed up in a glorious sunset. Xev sighed, leaned at his shoulder and looked over the small bay and the sea. The Arcan´s sun dipped the scenery in a deep-red light and the sky seemed to glow like fire. It was a breathtaking spectacle. "How beautiful…!" she whispered. The sunset only lasted a few minutes, and then it was all over. The red-glowing sun vanished behind the horizon. "Let us go inside," he whispered in her ear. "Good idea," she agreed and both returned hand in hand inside their domicile.

Xev laid down her boots next to the terrace door, and asked Kai: "What do you think, is there a bathroom anywhere in this house?" She cleaned her feet gruffly from the sand she had walked through barefoot, but a shower would do better… "Sure, you still have three doors left," he answered smiling. "All right, let´s see…" She walked back to the short corridor, where she had seen one door right after the main entrance on the right side. She opened it and found another bright room, it was colored blue and a comfortable huge bed was placed inside as well as a wardrobe. "Definitely the bedroom," she called, "It looks damn comfortable," she added seductive smiling when she returned to the living room. She crossed the room and opened another door, which was located left-sided to where the communication system was. "Looks like this is the kitchen, hey, maybe we can prepare something to eat later…I´m really hungry and I´d like to eat some real food again…!" She closed the door again and walked to the opponent wall where the last door waited to be opened. "Wow, looks like I´ve found what I´ve looked for…!" she announced, when she discovered the friendly equipped bath. The room was quite big, contained a toilet, a washing facility and something that take in half the seize of the room. It was a dark blue pit, embedded in the light blue colored floor. "What´s that?" She asked astonished. "It´s a bathtub, admitted a real large bathtub, but it seems to serve this purpose," Kai answered her request, when he threw a glance inside. "Bathtub?" she asked. He leered. "I think it will suit you," he whispered in her ear. "You don´t say! Why don´t trying it directly…?"she asked with a wry look. "I´ll join you in a short while, why don´t you curl up in the meantime?" he answered with deep voice. She looked as if she was close to pouting. What´s so important? her gaze asked. "I´ll have to ask 790 something, I told him to search the database we have access to now." "Ok, but not too long...!" she looked at him imploratory. "I´ll speed up a bit, promised," he said and kissed her nose. He slipped back through the door, while Xev activated the water, what poured immediately into the bathtub.

Back in the living room he sat down on the sofa and asked 790 for news. And the robot head really had found some information already. Back to the time of the insect wars, there were several reports available. Maybe he could take a look at them later. He was at the moment more interested in their history after the insect war. He read some short, but useful and informative issues about their history.

After the war, the level of destruction had been real high, and they had needed a very long time to adjust everything again. So their technological development slowed down for many centuries. But this was caused also in the destruction of so many human nations, a lot of allies were gone, as well as trade partners, who had the necessary equipment to develop new technology or continue to built consisting technology. This war must have caused an unimaginable destruction, but when he remembered what only one insect could do, he understood. He found several passages devoted to his own people. They really had been the most important ally and trading partner for the Arcannea, so it was no wonder that their gaining and success was also mentioned. A little pride crept into his heart, when he read it. At least, here his ancestors weren´t forgotten, not their courage, not what they had done to save humanity. It was something that would live on forever. Kai felt a hint of sadness running through his mind. But what had happened to them… Humans are not designed to live forever he thought bitterly. No, in no case. He marveled at the arcannean advancement, what they had reached. There was no need to look for immortality, really not, there were so many other higher aims to reach for a nation. So he was glad for the Arcannea that they didn´t have to spare the destiny of his people. The secret of immortality had died with them. Fortunately. He had died before he was old enough to get his body altered into that state. Besides, he would never have reached immortality, even if he had stayed alive, and his people as well. He had been sentenced to die by aging, for breaking the shields. Aging and dying – two things so alien to his people, that they had locked away the accused to get rid off this once normal reality. But reality caught up with them soon – death took them all in the end. Kai sighed. Oh yes, this nation could be very happy to be spared by such outstanding scientifically benefits like they called it once. The development of a nation doesn´t end because they have to life with death. Kai switched to the next topic, records of the current war. It wasn´t sufficient information he found. A few reports, that the Pr´karesh, their enemies, attacked some outer colonies, and a few reports from fugitives. Otherwise, everything else underlay secrecy. That was interesting. The people here had access to every information they want, they knew about this war, but despite this all, there wasn´t much information available, at least in publicity. But he didn´t want to give up. It must be possible to get more information. He asked 790: "Can you please try to get access to all restricted information?" "I _could_…yes, all right, I´ll do it!" 790 gave in when he saw Kais facial expression. " I think I have to have a serious talk with Xev!" he muttered. Xev , this was Kais catchword, he got up and looked at 790. "Do it, 790, but I´m quite sure that it won´t lead to anything," he said smiling. "Yes, because you´ve turned her head…that´s not fair! Because she had turned mine!" 790 pouted. "Like I had before, hm?" "How dare you say that? I was malfunctioning!" "Yes, of course you were!" Kai´s smile grew a little brighter. "Let us make an agreement…" Kai suggested. "What agreement?" 790 asked suspiciously. "I don´t mention it ever again, in return you´ll help me with any inquiries I´ll ask for!" 790´s digital eyes narrowed: "What about you´ll leave Xev alone _and_ never mention it again?" Instead of an answer Kais corner of the mouth twitched in amusement: "I´m not sure that she wanted to be left alone…" "That´s the problem, ok, I accept the agreement – for now!" 790 said grimly. "Thank you 790, I knew that you´re a reasonable robot head," Kai disappeared from 790 view and walked towards the bathroom door. On the way there, he slipped out of his top and threw it careless over one of the chairs, and his boots were dropped down to the ground next to it. His hands reached back to his long braid and he disentangled it quickly. Long and heavy fell his loose hair over his bare back. It was still unaccustomed to feel it tickling his skin. He wrapped one strand around his finger and examined the shining pitch-black hair. Kai stopped walking when he remembered his childhood again. His mother once had brushed this hair every time before he had gone to bed. At that time it had still been to short for the traditional hair dress – and he of course had been much too young to be allowed to wear it in this way. His mother then had calmed him with the words that one day he would have very long and beautiful hair – he only had to be patient. Like with growing up. He remembered that he always wanted to be grown up so very fast. You´ll be tall and grown-up soon enough, for eternity. Enjoy the privilege to be young and small, Kai his father once had told him. He hadn´t really understood at that time – and he didn´t want to understand. His childish impatience had been as fierce as his urge to explore later. Kai smiled a sad smile and pushed the thoughts back. At least he remembered his childhood – and his parents. Kai let go of his strand and opened the door to the bathroom. Soundlessly he slipped in.

Xev sat broadly smiling inside the bathtub, the hot, steaming water whirled round her neck. She played with the white foam, which covered the surface nearly everywhere. "There you are! It´s really great, come on in!" She held her hand with some foam up and blew it in Kai´s direction. She giggled and came back to the edge of the bathtub. She didn´t want to miss anything when he started to undress his trousers. With a dreamy smile she watched his muscular nude body, and she couldn´t help but to remember their recent passionate love acts . It didn´t stay unaffected and a new desire started to burn inside her. Kai dropped his trousers to the floor and sat down on the edge. He didn´t miss her reaction, and it wasn´t surprising that he reacted the same, when he watched her looking up at him. He bent forward and kissed her on the forehead. "You´re so beautiful," he whispered against her skin. Xev caught his wrist and pulled him towards her, inside the warm water. "Nothing compared to you…!" she answered. Kai let himself slid inside the bathtub without resistance. He sprawled and let himself float. The bathtub was really large. It could contain two more people if necessary. Xev pushed herself away from the edge and float next to him. She reached out for him and touched his belly with her palm. Softly she stroke over his wet skin up to his chest, perceiving every well-developed muscle, finally she remained where his heart was. Xev felt its calm, rhythmic beat under her palm – one of the most wonderful sensations she knew, because it was the evidence that he was alive.

Kai´s gaze wandered over the soft and exclusive body of hers, which shimmered seductively through all the foam. He felt this electrifying feeling in his tummy increasing once again. He looked up to her face and both their eyes met. He saw endless love in Xev´s green eyes, a warm and gentle embrace for his tormented soul. After 6000 years full of loneliness, coldness, death, violence and numbness, every cell of his body cried for love and remission. Xev gave him a lot love, so much it made him cry sometimes. It was an overwhelming sensation to be loved. But he didn´t want to think about remission, this was another topic.

"It feels so good," she said, stroking the skin over his heart with her palm. "I´m so happy that you´re alive." Kai turned sideward and reached out his hand, stroked her cheek softly. "I love you, Xev!" he said in a low voice, then he pulled her in his arms and kissed her gently. Xev threw her hands around his body and pressed herself fierce against his. When she felt his strong body next to her, a new wave of heat rushed through her and she felt her libido going in action again. A passionate kiss followed suit and it grew more intensive the longer it lasted. Xev had to submerge a groan, her needs started to get the upper hand, but she didn´t want them. It seemed not fair to her to hassle Kai that often with her wants. But Kai wouldn´t be the sensitive man she loved so much, if he hadn´t recognized her inner fight. So he grasped the nettle of it. He put his arms around her waist and drew her into his lap. Xev closed her eyes grateful for a moment, before she put her legs forward and spanned his hips. Kai held her tight and directed them to the left part of the bathtub, the water there was very even and for that a wonderful playground for them. Xev groaned low when she felt his member pushing softly against her inner thighs. She felt the bottom of the bathtub under her ass, and leaned back, gave Kai full access to her breasts. Kai caressed them softly and seductively. Xev closed her eyes for a moment and felt her libido going into full speed. She sank down backwards, felt the warm water underneath her, softly washing over several parts of her body, then she spread her legs. She didn´t loose any time, she wanted him, she needed him! When he stroke over her cunt with his fingers, plunged them into her wet hot opening, she groaned full of passion and her hands stroke fierce over her own breasts. She looked at him beseeching, she wanted to feel him inside…now! Kai lowered himself down on her body and let his cock slid into her opening. She was more than ready, and her fierce contractions let his member swell ultimately. Xev cried out in lust when she felt it. "Ohh, Kai…!" she breathed. Kai closed his eyes, tried to get some control back, but it was nearly impossible. The urge to take her, to push inside her with soft force nearly won, but in the end he controlled his appetite. Slowly and steady he started to thrust into her, down into the water and out. Xev pushed her hips upwards when he pushed his hips down, she wasn´t able to speak any comprehensible word any longer. "Harder, Kai…oh…yes!" Kai kissed her breasts and stroke them fiercely. The heat of passion grew more and more…their hands were nearly everywhere and Xev once again cried out in passion. She folded her legs more tightly around his waist and pressed his hips more close to her when he came down. She still hadn´t enough: "Harder, Kai, please…!" Kai closed his eyes: "Are you…sure?" he gasped. "Yes, yes, I am…please…!" The intensity of their passion seemed to overwhelm them both, and Kai realized for the first time that it never had been that hard to maintain control…There was nothing more he wanted so badly than to thrust fierce into her, to feel her contractions that strong around his shaft. His world was reduced to this part when he looked down at her desirable, naked body spread out in front of him. Her keen passionate expression showed him that she was serious about what she wanted and so he slowly let his control slip away. Xevs body arched underneath him as his thrusts begun to get fiercer. She groaned and he let his body its free will. He kissed her breathless and his hips went down more forcible, he slid into her so very deep and hard that she started to scream for desire again and again. He heard her cry out his name again and again when she came, felt her body tensing underneath him, only a few seconds later his own orgasm rushed through him and pushed him nearly beyond consciousness. He pulled her body close to his, deepened their connection for a few moments more, and expanded their climax unbelievingly long. He was sure he had screamed as well, but it didn´t bother him.

Slowly, both of them found their way back to here and now. The first thing he realized was her happy smile. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him softly, waited for them to calm down a bit. How she loved to have sex with him – he knew exactly how to make her happy, how to make her burn of lust. Normally she was designed to make men happy, but thanks to the missing brainwash, she had her own needs too. Needs, Kai satisfied perfectly. He was a very desirable man, in more than one way. He was passionate, looked outrageous good and was a wonderful character. Most important of all: he loved her. She felt it with an enormous power when they were united like this. He needed her love as well – it was the first step to a healing process. She wasn´t really surprised how he hungered for her love. Love was the only alleviation for this deep pain he carried in his soul. She felt his lips pressing against hers and smiled, he still was out of breath. She felt water covering her body completely and opened her eyes. He had drawn them back into the other half of the bathtub, where the water was deeper. He cancelled their connection and Xev sighed relaxed. "It´s a very nice thing, this bathtub. I really like it!" Kai smiled back and placed a little foam onto her nose. Xev giggled, twitching with her nose: "It tickles!" She put another fistful of foam and placed it right on Kais head. He twisted his eyes and sank slowly under the water surface. Xev laughed. But when he didn´t show up after a while she got worried. She searched for him where the foam still was, but he wasn´t there. "Kai?" she asked, "Where are you?" She looked around but the water surface was as calm as before. When he vanished so soundless, it made her shiver and it was eerily. But then, a massive rain of foam suddenly hit her face. "Hey!" she laughed and tried to see something. Kai took advantage of her blocked sight and grasped for her hips and started to tickle her. Xev screamed and snorted, she splashed helpless with her arms and tried to escape his fingers – no chance. She laughed and gasped until she was out of breath. "Stop it…please!" she begged. His face appeared in front of her, and his fingers stopped penetrating her. He smiled whimsically: "I really doesn´t expect clusterlizards to be so ticklish!" "It seems…" she gasped," That you´re the first one didn´t get eaten, after he had found out about it!" "I´m very indigestive, believe me!" Xev laughed once again, she dived and swam back to the edge. But Kai, as fast as always, waited for her when she emerged from the water. He put his hand forward and pushed some of her strands away, which got entangled by the water. "You´re wonderful, Xev," he said softly. Xev smiled whether this compliment and laid her hands on his strong shoulders. Kai touched her face gently and they were lost once again in a tender, lovingly kiss, which let explode Xev in happiness. This was reality – not one of her dreams. Sometimes she had to repeat it again and again – it was too wonderful to believe. Xev touched his body, stroke over his back. She nestled to him, laid her head on his shoulders. "I love you!" she whispered low against his wet, thick hair. "I could lie in your arms forever and ever!" "Whenever you like, Xev…" he answered. She embraced him tightly and grateful for a moment, then they parted to get themselves ready. Xev couldn´t avoid sating another appetite – she was hungry.

Whereas she was searching for something to dress, Kai entered the kitchen, only a towel around his hips. Suddenly dizziness engaged him and he had to support himself at the door. Sometimes it was very exhausting for his body to coordinate all those impressions and workflows, also the sex with Xev could be wonderful as well as exhausting. Those were things he still wasn´t accustomed to. It became clear to him that he had to be more careful. His body wasn´t any longer able to work well under stress. After a moment the gone feeling vanished and he was able to realign in the kitchen. He discovered some different types of vegetables and fruits, at least he could divide them into fruits and vegetables after he tasted a small red thing from the left bowl. It tasted wonderful sweet. Kai was fascinated by this experience and took a second one. He asked himself, if he would relive all this new indulgence in the same delicious way. It was truly one of the far better parts of his new life. Kai sighed and looked for a possibility to prepare some food for them. The kitchen contained a device where food easily could be prepared by simply filling the different ingredients together into it and selecting the adequate program. Kai put some rice-looking edibles, some of the vegetables and some powder and water into the device. After only a short time, a complete meal appeared at the bottom of the device, where two dishes were placed. Hot rice with vegetables and sauce. Curiously he tasted the meal and he liked it immediately. It was so different to Lexx´s mushy food he had eaten so far. Kai stopped for a moment. This was going to be his first real food after 6000 years…Kai sighed. The past weeks were still a mystery to him, like everything else a living human being had to deal with, but slowly and constantly he got used to it again. Kai carried the hot meal outside, put it down on the living-room table. "Xev?" he asked for her. "Yep?" it tinged from the bedroom. "Dinner is served!" "I´m coming!" Xev peeked round the corner, "Mh, this looks quite good!" She left the corridor and grinned. Slowly like a mannequin she walked towards him. She had found some very nice clothes. She wore a blue top and some kind of pant skirt, which was ankle-deep and blue, too. She had braided her wet hair completely and turned slowly in front of him. "It´s a fantastic material, I nearly didn´t feel it on my skin! You like it?" she asked when he still hadn´t said a word. "It´s nice, blue suits you..." he answered with a slight smile. Xev dumped down on the sofa and jumped at her meal, she was really really hungry. It wasn´t any wonder that in a very short time her dish was empty, whereas Kai ate visibly slower, because it was odd for him to eat solid food. Xev noticed it. "Everything okay?" she asked. Kai nodded: "It´s still difficult for me, but it´s getting better…"

"Xev, darling…why have you been so long in the bathroom?" 790 barged in and stopped their conversation. "What do you think I may have done there?" she asked back. "Now…" with a viperfish gaze at Kai, he retorted: "I hope you only were there to have a bath…" "This, 790, is in the eye of the beholder. Of course, we´ve taken a bath." "Argh, I fear the worst," sniveled 790. "Why, oh why? My dearest darling, don´t let yourself be fooled! He´s planning something, he wants to take you away from me, he…" "790," Xev interrupted him and picked him up. "I really esteem you, but you´re only a robot head, you can´t give me what Kai now can give me…" "Oh yes, I can do that!" he protested. "I have a tongue…. and I can let it slide over your perfect skin, lick your lips, my mouth will kiss your full lips…" 790 got lost insinuating. Xev patted him and put him back to the desk. She rolled her eyes, whereas Kai had to grin. He knew 790´s poetic and his addiction so very well. "Is it possible that he wasn´t that worse before the last reprogramming?" she asked. Kai shrugged his shoulders and laid down his fork, he was full. "I only know, that he had even been bothering for the dead…" "Oh, well, that´s truly bad then," she smiled and pointed at his half-empty dish. "Aren´t you hungry any more?" Kai shook his head, to be honest, he wasn´t well. "I have to rest, Xev, I think it was all too much for me, today…" Xev moved over worried…he actually looked a bit pale. "In fact, I wanted to take a look around…" she said and laid her hand over his forehead. "Why don´t you go and look after Stan, maybe you both can take a look around?" he suggested. "You´re a little too warm, Kai, maybe I should stay…" Kai took her hand and shook his head. "Go, I´ll be alright," Xev looked at him with mixed feelings. Hesitating she finally agreed: "Alright, I don´t stay long…!" Kai nodded and stood up, wanted to escort her to the door, to show her that her worries were for no reason, but when they reached the bedroom door, again dizziness and frailty overwhelmed him. Xev supported him quickly and took him to bed. "And you´re sure about it?" she asked sarcastically. "Yes, I am, it´s okay, it'll go away soon. It was simply all too much for me, today." Xev arranged some pillows and covered him with a blanket. He smiled weakly," Go, don´t worry about me…" Xev sighed and kissed him quickly. "I always _do_ worry about you, you should know that!" "I know. But this time there´s no need to abstain from fun!" She stood up and left him alone, not without a last look at him. But Kai had already closed his eyes and tried to find some rest. She returned to the living room and put her boots on. "Take me with you, honey-pie!" 790 howled. "No, not today, 790!" "Then I refuse to help Kai with his quest for information!" "790," she sighed again, " Next time, okay?" Maybe in the next circle of time , she added in her thoughts. "Please continue with your search for information!" "Ok, but only because it´s you!" "Thanks 790, see you later!" "Ciao, Xevvv!" 790 said sadly. Then the love-slave left the domicile and headed towards the nightclub district. Maybe she discovered something interesting…well, men weren't an important topic any longer, but she was sure that there had to be something else.


	13. Welcome to Arcannea Part3

Disclaimer

I don´t own any of the Lexx characters…Atlantis Alliance does. I don´t want to earn money with the stories etc., it´s just for fun.

Please review if you like the story, I plan to write a LOT…so it´s always important to get a little feedback!

Thank you!

Have fun!

Chapter 12

Welcome to Arcannea Part 3

Stan had already left his domicile after a bath and was now walking through the nightclub district, only a few hours before Xev also headed towards it.

Te´ran was right. There were so many interesting locations…he couldn´t count all of them. He saw one place where movies were shown, not such he had seen on the Cluster, full with propaganda and boring, no, those had a story line, were a lot more interesting, and the one he watched had really been funny.

After, he didn´t know where to go to, so he followed most of the other visitors to a place where they sat down to drink, eat and to talk. He learned that this location was known as restaurant and bar. After a while he got accustomed to it, and he started to enjoy the drinks and company there. So it wasn´t any wonder that he soon stroke up a conversation with a woman named Yareena. She was at his age, not an adolescent beauty, but a jolly and friendly person. Stan never had much luck with women, but this time something was different. The relaxed atmosphere there let him start a more careful and uncomplicated conversation with her and it was soon obvious that she seem to like him too. They talked long about this and that, about their jobs. Yareena worked as security chief at the huge station they recently had visited. At the moment she had a few days off. "That´s incredible! I´m hardly a few days not there and –boff – something new happens!" she commented when Stan explained where he came from. As security chief it was of course her job to know everything, but never before happened something like that! She was so curious to hear about his whole story. But Stan wasn´t sure if it was the right place to tell her…earlier experiences told him to be careful, who knows who might listen to this story as well. Finally Stan asked her hesitantly, nearly shy, if she wanted to come with him, to his guest quarter, he considered it a better place to talk about it. Of course she wanted to hear the rest of his story, but not only for this reason she wanted to go with him… They left the district, which meanwhile sparkled and gleamed in the darkness like a jewel. On the way they met Xev.

"Hey, Stan! You´re looking quite happy!" she called smiling, surprised at his company…this planet seemed to cause wonders to them all. "Hey Xev, that´s Yareena; Yareena, it´s Xev, she´s one of my crewmembers I´ve told you about," Stan introduced them, smiling broadly. The women shook hands. "Alright, then, if you don´t mind, we´re up to something…" Stan grinned and turned to leave…"You should try those bars…they´re real great!" he said. "Thanks, I´ll take a look," Xev replied, at least, these bars seemed to be good to find company…if you look for one, of course. "By the way, where´s Kai?" he asked puzzled, since his resurrection both were nearly inseparably. "He´s not very well at the moment, he laid down to sleep, so I went out alone," she answered, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Oh, okay, see ya…!" "I think you´ve liked your trip there…!" Xev laughed and pointed at the district in front of her, when she watched them continuing their way in a slightly unsteady manner. Stan nodded and waved without turning, and then they vanished around a corner. The short conversation made Xev more curious…and she was eager to explore what Stan had called a bar…and he was right. For an open-minded person like Xev it was very easy to get some contact to other people. But she refused any invitation for more than a nice talk, she just wanted to spend a nice evening with talkative people – something she never thought she would enjoy that much. But since she and Kai had come together finally, she was able to think in a very different way about other men. The love slave inside her was always hungry, but the true love she had found suppressed any want to be together with other men. So she forgot time when they sat there at the bar, drank and talk about everything.

Kai had slept for one or two hours and had recovered a little. He decided to take a closer look at 790´s collected information when he got up. He wanted to know more about the Arcannean history, so he started with this chapter.

The Arcannea were an ancient civilization, only slightly younger than the BrunnenG. When the Arcannea started to travel to the stars, it didn´t take long until they became one of the furthest developed and leading people in the DarkZone. Far ahead the insect war, they built up several trade connections with other human nations, also with the BrunnenG. This contact was at first limited to trade, no political issues were discussed for several centuries. But this changed very soon…after the first conflicts between human and insect civilization, they were one of the first, who laid the starting point for the human ally against the insects. Together with the BrunnenG, they got the first force going and went into battle together. More and more nations followed their instance, the great human ally grew until nearly every human race of the DarkZone was at war with the insects.

The insect war lasted a very long time. Whole human nations were extinguished in this desperate fight, as well as whole planets. The humans tried to defense their individuality and their claim to power against the insects…whose power grew more and more, because of their unique flexibility. Fight after fight, battle after battle was fought, until finally the humans under the leadership of the BrunnenG and their newly, insect-based, developed technology, could adjudicate the final battle for the benefit of themselves. The hunted got the hunter, and the humans went after the insects and destroyed them all. This last big fight took place in the neighboring planetary system of Arcannea, the Varion-system. Eyewitness account told about an immense battle, one couldn´t see the stars because there had been so many ships…the home world of the Varion was destroyed and with it all its inhabitants. It was a real tragic story, but at least their sacrifice hadn´t been senseless. The insects were stopped just in front of the more important human planetary systems – Arcannea had been one of them. This also had been the end of the insect wars. The vengeful humans hunted the remaining insects throughout the whole DarkZone until they were sure that no insect was left alive and any possible threat in future. Then it was time again to care about themselves. They had to mourn their dead, to built up again what had been destroyed…all this took a lot of time, time that seemed to pass by so very fast…the war vanished from their minds slowly…the allies broke apart, contact got lost between more than one nation…time moved on mercilessly.

For the Arcannea the loss of contact to the BrunnenG was more than tragic, with it they lost their last close friends and allies. The last life-sign of them dated back 18000 years. Then they never heard anything from Brunnis again. An investigation flight to their home world only showed that it was abandoned. Only their sun stabilizers were still working. Everything that was left behind was their brilliant architecture, their Memory Chamber…nothing else. Their vanishing became an enigma, no one was able to explain what had happened. Their speculations were that the BrunnenG had left Brunnis, because of their not longer life-giving sun. But why they hadn´t left any information behind, where they had gone to, was very strange.

So the Arcannea were left behind as the last great nation who survived the insect wars. Millennia went by and someday the Arcannea built up a new alliance with far younger, but also high-developed civilizations and their own colonies. It started as an experiment, but since 6000 years it was a very successful organization. They had fought several conflicts, but nothing was comparable to the insect wars. Most of the time it was a peaceful ongoing development between those nations. No enemy outside this alliance ever attacked them successful…the high-developed technology of the Arcannea was insuperable.

But…well, like so many times in history, to be superior had its disadvantage…one was easily entrapped to get careless…so no one really counted on a threat from the _inside_ of the alliance.

It was a fatal mistake to think in this way.

Reports about a massive force building in the Pr´karesh sector were ignored, as well as the reports of fugitives who managed to get out of this sector because of the decreasing economic status. The Alliance had reached a point where it had grown far to big to get properly administrated and ruled. So the Pr´karesh overrun a huge part of the other Alliance planets, before the rest was able to react.

790 interrupted and told him, that all following data was classified as non-official material, then he continued.

The Pr´karesh left the Alliance with all conquered planetary systems and the war started with full force when the Arcannea tried to salvage what was to salvage. They succeeded to draw a more or less clear borderline between their territory and the now founded Pr´karesh Empire. This had been 20 years ago. Since that day, it was a constant stalking, defending and attacking. The Pr´karesh Empire broadened, but not as fast as in the beginning. The data 790 was able to decrypt said, that to this current date, the Pr´karesh Empire spanned 200 planets.

Kai took a short look at several military reports, but they weren´t that interesting. Far more interesting were the reports of the last nine months.

They said, that nine months ago, the Pr´karesh attacked a huge number of planets in the borderland at the same time and conquered them. The Alliance force was helpless…they couldn´t defense neither the planets nor themselves properly. The Pr´karesh force was far too strong, the Alliance couldn´t mess with their superior firepower. Their only chance to bring them down was _before _they were able to shoot. The situation grew more and more hopeless for the Arcannea Alliance. They lose more ground by the minute and there was no way to free the now conquered planets. The fate of all those humans was unknown. The few things known about the governmental power, were reports of fugitives and spies. They talked about a totalitarian structure, controlled by military and other governmental forces. The people there were forced to live in a strictly controlled society with no rights and no freedom.

For Kai, it all sounded so well known, the parallels towards the League of 20000 Planets was really uncomfortable. But how else should such an aggressive broadening Empire be reigned?

He assumed that the last incident, where they had accidentally ran into, mirrored clearly this situation. The Arcannea were in real trouble if they weren´t able to defense themselves properly against this uprising Empire. Kai wished, 790 could have found out more about it, but the robot head hadn´t found anything further.

The few pictures available, only showed their ships and the damage their weapons had done to some arcannean ships. Kai compared the information he learned about with his memories, but there wasn´t anything to compare. The only thing he had as lead was this enormous firepower. From the memories of the divine predecessor he possessed, he knew that the Foreshadow, which once destroyed his home, had been one of the first very powerful weapons of the divine order. The bioscholars constantly developed new and more and more powerful weapons…the Lexx had been the end of this long developing process. There had been nothing similar in the LightZone, and so far anything in the DarkZone too. The Lexx was able to resist the Pr´karesh firepower, unlike the Arcannea. And of course their president wasn´t stupid, she knew very well what possibilities the arrival of such a powerful ship like the Lexx may open to them. He was sure that Shereen would clutch at straws and she may would ask them for help, even if this was against their ethic…

Kai rubbed his head. To access his memories was very exhausting, and it made him tired again, so he deactivated the screen and decided to go back to bed. "Good night, 790," "Night," the robot head growled and continued his poetry about Xev he was busy with since nearly an hour. Kai returned to the bedroom and dropped the towel he still had had around his waist to the floor. He was far too tired to look for some trousers, so he lay down naked, wrapped the blanket round his body and fell asleep very fast.

The council meeting started before sunset on Sha´ra, the third planet of the Arcannea-system. The governmental buildings were built far down the water surface, on the bottom of the sea, protected by the water, like all the other buildings the Sha´ranean population had built since thousands of years. The surface was far too rough to build some buildings and cities there. Thousands of years ago they tried to do that on some of the very small islands they had, but they gave up soon – too rough was the weather, too strong the storms, which inflamed the sea meters high. Even now, with much higher technology it was nearly impossible to protect any building. So they remained inside the beautiful water landscape, a place so very safe from everything outside.

The huge council hall had a translucent ceiling, by what the species-rich sea life could be observed. But the council paid no attention to it today. They sat since many hours and were discussing the actual situation. Many representatives attended via holo conference, because they couldn´t leave their homeworld. At the moment, a fleet admiral reported the latest news referring the status of their defense fleet.

"Our actual fleetforce was reduced once again during the last two months, we barely meet the demands for supplement. And soon we won´t have enough strength to hold our outer defense line. Referring to new observation data, we have to expect another new wave of aggression against our allies and colonies there. Mrs. president, please forgive me my directness, but we aren´t able to withstand much longer." With a petrified look Shereen listened to this not very good news. She feared exactly this situation, it only had been a matter of time. The representatives murmured nervously and confused. One of them finally rose from his seat and asked: "Does it mean that 20 000 years after we had successful faced the biggest threat of humanity we aren´t in the position to defense ourselves against this non-insect-enemy this time?" The admiral watched the man with a serious expression: "If we don´t find a proper possibility to defense ourselves against their superior firepower – we might lose this war, yes!" The audibility swelled and Shereen rose up: "Stop it, we all knew that this won´t lead to anything…no discussions, not now. It´s really not time to waste our breath with senseless discussions. We know what will happen if we won´t react fast enough to prevent exactly the scenario Admiral Hal´g told us." "But what do we have to prevent it? Our fleetforce is decreasing from month to month…and we couldn´t do anything!" The representative responded desperately. Low agreement was audible in the hall. "Time is running down for us, I´m aware of that. But our chances were never better than now. Admiral Hal´g?" Shereen gave the floor back to Hal´g. "We succeeded in capturing one of their ships. We were very lucky that their self-destruction system wasn´t functional, so we could take it. But unfortunately the crew committed suicide and destroyed all important data. So we only succeeded in capturing the ship with a functional weapon-system. Dr. Shore´ is examining it with his team for two weeks now and can report far better than I could, Dr.?" The Admiral handed over to an older man who left his seat and stepped forward.

"I´m sure when I´m finished with my report a lot of questions will be answered and a lot more will be posed. And I´m sure that nobody will expect what we found out. But let me start.

We were completely mystified when we first were confronted with the Pr´karesh, their ships and their enormous firepower. We never could explain how it was possible to have such an obviously primitive shipbuilding technology and such an enormous firepower. It really doesn´t fit together, it never does, we discussed a lot about it before – without any solution, because we never had the possibility to examine a ship. They always were destroyed, mostly by self-destruction. But thanks to sometime failing technology, we now got one exemplar and we looked curiously forward to solve this riddle.

The ships aren´t that primitive. On the outside they appear as primitive, metal-based ships, but this is only on the outside. We tore the ship apart and discovered the truth – an alarming truth!"

Dr. Shore´ breathed deeply, he was more nervous now.

In his whole career as scientist and ship constructor he never thought to be confronted with a technology vanished thousands of years ago. Not that the arcannean technology decreased through the past millennia. In fact, the development of their bioorganic technology made huge steps forward, it opened new horizons to them, in nearly every sector of science and technology. After the big war 20000 years ago, they were eager to replace the insect-based technology with their own. They all agreed that any insect technology hold to much danger to use it in future. So they took another path than the BrunnenG or other nations. The insects caused too much pain, anger and destruction…so they disavowed to have insect technology around, instead they used the knowledge of biotechnology to build up a different kind.

Now only to learn that for all this technology was too weak to withstand the firepower of a new enemy. It troubled him, that he never found out why, but the answer came with this ship – and the answer didn´t please him very much. In fact, it challenged their way of turning away from the technology they once used in the insect wars.

He activated the holosimulation screen and explained: " The drive mechanism as well as the weapons were fed by a chemical-organic source, more advanced than the nuclear accelerated fusion reactors normally used by those ships. Alongside its very primitive hull, the complete ship is based upon a hybrid-technology," he paused a second before he let it out,"…an insect-organic-technology!"

Complete silence dominated for a moment, then a real hurly-burly started. These were in fact news they never expected!

"Silence!" Shereen called after a while. She had risen from her seat and her gaze was fixed at the holographic ship. "Insect-technology," she finally said. This was indeed surprising and alarming at the same time. For the second time she was confronted with some hangover from insects, first the Lexx, and now this! Another representative asked: "Is it the only ship constructed in this manner?" "I don´t think so," Shore´ answered, "This ship was caught at random, there is no reason why this should be the only one!" Another representative asked: "What about those strangers arriving today? Didn´t they also have an insect vessel? How can we be sure that they aren´t in league with the Pr´karesh? In my opinion there are to many coincidences when we learn about two different insect crafts in only one day!" Shereen shook her head and left her seat. "No, I don´t think that they are allies of the Pr´karesh. They accidentally got involved in this battle near Idaron, and they destroyed the whole Pr´karesh fleet." "That´s not a positive proof, Mrs president. For the Pr´karesh life isn´t anything holy, so they might sacrificed a part of their own troops to convince us that these strangers were on our side…only to destroy us from inward!" Admiral Hal´g let them consider this thought. "Wherever those people were from, they are humans and they are not our enemies, and definitely NOT allies of the Pr´karesh. I talked to them this morning and convinced myself if they might be a threat for us. They clearly aren´t. I think we can trust them." Shereen said certain. The admiral nodded. Shereens possibilities to find out such things with help of her special skills were out of question. "So they may can be useful for us in this war…against the technology the Pr´karesh use!" the Admiral said. "We should take their ship to use it against our enemies!" a representative agreed. Shereen sighed: "We can´t simply _take_ their ship to use it in the way we want to…first we know nothing about this ship, second we don´t have any permission…" "But we´re at war! What reason else is necessary to convince them to give us the ship!" the representative said nearly angrily. "Senator Jeroon, I know that your home Garath´a 9 is close to the current front, and that it has suffered many attacks so far…but it´s no reason not to stick to our principles. We´re fighting against the Pr´karesh because they haven´t any…should we abase ourselves? I´ll meet them this evening and I know about the importance of such a weapon in our war, it really can tip the scales to our side, but I won´t do anything against their permission! So I´ll ask them for help. They are looking for a new home, not for trouble and war." Shereen announced and ended this fruitless discussion. Jeroon wasn´t really convinced but he gave in. Like every other representative he knew that Shereen would do everything possible to find a way to save their alliance.

"Maybe, if we´re lucky, and they agree to help us, we can defeat the Pr´karesh. But I´m almost sure, that it isn´t done by sending this ship to our front, what we need is more knowledge of this technology – to add it to our own. If we can develop their kind of shield or hull to withstand the firepower of the Pr´karesh ships, we surely have a far greater chance to defend ourselves properly," Shore´ said. Another representative piped up: "We all know how dangerous this technology is…otherwise we hadn´t withdrawn from any development thousands of years ago…" Shore´ nodded: "I´m aware of that, senator Lorkav. But maybe in this case we can make an exception to it. 20 000 years ago we were only able to win the great war because we used a similar technology…maybe in this case nothing else remains than to use insect technology again!" "I´m not a friend of this technology too, " Shereen interrupted, "But I have to say that I´m ready to allow the use of it if we can defend our homes and lives with it. This technology is dangerous…and I wonder where the Pr´karesh got it from." Shore´ answered: "That´s indeed another question. When they attacked us first, 20 years ago, they weren´t that superior, but strong enough to built up another Empire next to us…with horrible effects to the people. We know that their Empire is one of dictatorship, of strict military control with no freedom for the citizens. And they had a huge hunger for new planets to conquer or destroy. They collected many resources the past years and I´m sure that they developed their technology over those years too. We all saw it when they showed up with massive attacks nine months ago. The battle at Idaron was the tip of the iceberg so far. We would have lost it with huge losses if the Lexx hadn´t come.

You can imagine, if we hadn´t been able to defeat them 20 years ago … how should we defeat them _now_?" This question was thought provoking for the council. Slowly the council speaker rose from his seat and addressed his word to Shereen: "Mrs president, I´m sure that you´ll do everything to convince the crew of the ship Lexx to help us against the Pr´karesh. There´s no doubt in it…if…I think the council will agree to your suggestion to use insect technology again to save the Alliance." "I´m honored for your trust in me…I´ll do my very best, I promise. Even if we can be sure of their help…it will be a hard battle to fight for us. The last time we have to fight against insect technology was 20 000 years ago…against insects. That doesn´t mean that non-insects weren´t less dangerous. We now know that they can be as well dangerous as insects. The past great war we won, with allies on our side with such as the Fallea, the Varion, the BrunnenG…. they are no more, we are on our own. But I promise that we won´t give up – we never had, we never will.

For now, I want to secure our position in this war. Our military team as well as the evacuation and catastrophic agency should meet and discuss plans about an evacuation of the outer planetary colonies and other inhabited planets. We don´t have the strength to defend us at the front, on these planets and our core planets at the same time. That´s it for the moment. Thanks to you all, the next council meeting will be announced early enough."

Shereen closed the meeting and the representatives slowly left the hall or simply switched off if they had attended via holographic transmission.

"Not an easy term, Mrs president," Shore´ said when most of the representatives had left. "I never expected anything different," Shereen turned around with her meeting records in her hand and looked slightly smiling at him. Shore´ once had been her taskmaster and was still her best friend. "We´re living in different times…it´s not that easy like my first 20 years in this presidency…but I always knew these days would come. It only was a matter of time." Shore´ folded his arms and nodded. "You´re constantly thinking about what the prophetess had told you, right?" Shereen dropped her gaze to the floor. "I am. I deeply hoped that those days would never come, but…she always had been right in the past…so why should it be different this time?" She answered and leaned back at one of the tables. Her gaze wandered to the ceiling with its transparent glass. She grew up on this world with all its traditions. She was born under water, first learned how to survive in its environment with all its beauty and danger before she was allowed to go to the surface – to breath the pure air of this world for the first time. Her parents were very traditional and they didn´t want her to forget where she came from if she ever decided to leave Sha´ra. Well, she did, but she always came back here. There was nothing comparable with swimming in the endless ocean, with exploring the rich undersea world…only space was more interesting, but, of course, this was another kind of an endless ocean. The people on Sha´ra believed very strong in fate…they believed that every one of them has his destiny, his task to fulfill in life. So, when they reach the end of their childhood, they went on a pilgrimage to the prophetess of the Deep Sea. A pilgrimage where they learn what destiny might awaits them.

Shore´ groomed her for this quest and when she had dreamt of the prophetess, Shereen knew that the time had come to visit her. She hadn´t been afraid, although some rumors often were told about her…nobody knew how old she was, but legend told that she always had been in this old city down the deepest ocean on Sha´ra.

There, Shereen was prophesized that she would be the next president of the Alliance and that during her presidency huge changes for them all would come. A new time of uncertainty, chaos, war and death. At first she couldn´t believe what the prophetess had said, because there was never a guarantee that things would happen like foreseen…the prophetess even said about herself that she only was a prophet of fate, not a Time Prophet, but some important things to be happen in future, she was able to see. Shereen never asked why of all things it had to happen when she was president, she only had sworn that she would do everything necessary to help all the people in the Alliance to go through this difficult time. The prophetess don´t let her go away without faint hope. She had predicted that they won´t be alone, that…Shereen stopped the memories for a moment and looked back at Shore´ when she remembered something suddenly. "What is it?" he asked. "I´m not sure…" she hesitated, "Something I never thought of in the past 20 years, since all this trouble started. When I visited the prophetess she said that if time is right I will know where my task lies in this conflict, what I can do…it´s strange, but since the strangers arrived, I thought a lot about what she had said when I asked her if there is any hope to survive this dark time lying in front of us. I know that she told me something, but I wasn´t able to remember all this years…but now…I do…!" "What did she say?" Shore´ asked curious. "She didn´t give me a clear answer, it was like an oracle. If your hope is almost gone – the last of the lost ones will return and new hope will be born . That´s what she said." "It sounds like we shouldn´t give up our hope in this war…!" Shore´ said and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it has something to do with the crew of the Lexx. Maybe it is a hint that they can help us, but I don´t know how to interpret this sentence." Shereen sighed. "Otherwise it wouldn´t be called an oracle…" Shore´ said smiling. "If the right time is there…we´ll know. What about tonight? Will you allow me to attend your little meeting with our guests?" he asked her. "Of course! I would be very sad if you don´t!" Shereen said agreeing. "Well, which Shore´ you want? The representative, the scientist…?" he asked smiling. "The friend and mentor, and maybe … a little bit the scientist?" "Hey, it must be nearly a century that you want me to attend to such a meeting as a friend and mentor!" he teased. "Well, then it´s time…!" Shereen grinned. "I´m really excited. What do you personally think of our guests?" he wanted to know. Shereen closed her eyes for a moment, stroke her long dark hair back and thought about them for a moment.

It was an unusual experience for her, this meeting. Not the contact with Xev or Stanley, it was the third human she had her problems with. "I only scanned them on the surface, but it was helpful enough to categorize them. I got a nice clear picture of Stan, he´s a very normal human, admitted, not the bravest kind but I think honest. Xev is a little bit confusing, she seems to be such a nice and vulnerable person on the outside, but I was very astonished about her aggressive tendencies inside…very confusing. She seems to be composed of two parts.

Well, but altogether I´m sure we can trust her, she is a friendly subject. Kai on the other hand, that´s a different story. He´s the one I´m not really sure about. To be honest…my analytic skills were too limited to get a clear picture of him. Something that never happened before…!" "That´s indeed unusual for you!" Shore´ said worried. "So it´s not very easy for me to explain what I have felt…a flood of emotions washed over me, his thoughts were so disordered I asked myself why he wasn´t insane. I never thought that only one person was able to have so much thoughts in only one moment…it was as if there were thousands of other persons present inside him. But that´s not what bothered me, he radiated an immense darkness and pain, I never felt this before. During my telepath training program I had to scan several persons, scientists, good people, bad people, healthy and unhealthy people…I can´t number it. But even the sickest mind of them hasn´t had such a dark presence…it really gives me the creeps, brrr," she said shivering. "Is he dangerous or maybe a threat for us?" Shore´ asked pushing. "That´s what I don´t understood, Shore´ , what I told you is what made me uneasy, but just some seconds later I felt something completely different…as if there was another side to him. I felt sadness, regret and a strong sense of justice and that made me certain that he isn´t a bad guy at all – most of the sick individuals I met in life lack of this senses. Before I was able to touch another part of him, something that felt very familiar to me, I can´t explain why…he blocked me out. I´m sure he knew from the beginning that I scanned them…I still wonder why he let me before!" she said thoughtful. "There were only two possibilities," Shore´ put up one finger: "He wanted to know us that they really are no threat…or," he put up the second one: "He wanted to believe us that they are no threat. When he knew that you scanned him and his friends and he was able to block you…then he must have definitely this skill too!" "I´m sure that he hasn´t. I haven´t detect any other telepathic emission during their visit. He may have the skill to block telepathy, that´s not unusual, the inhabitants of Garath´a 5 also have this skill, but none of them has telepathic skills." Shereen said with knitted brows. "So you´re sure that they are no threat to us?" "I am, I can´t tell you why, but I am. If they really want to destroy us…they had done it already. If they were Pr´karesh allies, we had lost this war already. No, I´m hundred percent sure that they are no enemies. But what I´m not sure about is…what are they? Where did they come from…!" "I think we have to wait till tonight…maybe our questions will be answered then." Shore´ tried to calm Shereen. "I don´t want to question your skills Shereen, if you say they are no threat, they aren´t, you never were wrong in such things!" "There is always a first time…" Shereen sighed and rubbed her head…she really got a headache! "What do you think about a little rest? Release yourself from your telepathic spheres and keep company with me during a little meal! You look as if you really need a stop!" "That´s a good idea…" Shore´ smiled: "Come on, let us go…!" He offered her his arm and Shereen closed her telepathic connection for a while, and linked arms with him, both left the council hall.

Xev woke up when she felt someone shaking her. Growling she said: "No, not yet…!" "Sorry, Ma´am, but we´re closing in a second," a voice rang in her ear. "Mh…," bit by bit her mind cleared up. Where the heck was she? She lifted her head, recognized a wooden surface under her crossed arms. She blinked and then she realized where she was. A bar…delicious drinks…she groaned…definitely too much of them. The man behind the bar, she knew she had talked to before she passed out, started to grin widely at her. "You´re not the first one who passed out in my bar, headache?" Xev nodded. "How long did I…?" "Oh, one, two hours. Here, drink this, you´ll feel better after!" He gave her a glass with a clear liquid. "What´s that?" Xev sniffed carefully before she drank. "Something against headache…just drink it!" Xev did. It tasted horrible, but she felt the headache fading very fast. With knitted brows she looked at all those empty glasses next to her…she hardly couldn´t remember drinking them all. The barman followed her gaze and smiled whilst cleaning some glasses: "You must have been very thirsty, my dear…!" Xev smiled sheepishly back: "They were good…how late is it?" "Almost morning, should I take you home?" he asked. "No, no problem. I think I´ll find my way, it´s not far…ouch…dusk you said?" she jumped from her seat. The man nodded. "I hope he doesn´t worry!" Xev said thinking about Kai at home. "I hope you can come back soon, it was very funny!" the barman said friendly. "My wife often dragged me out of countless bars years ago. Well, anytime I had to promise her to stop visiting them…!" "Well, then you opened your own bar…my beloved!" his wife´s voice rang out the kitchen door. The barman grinned embarrassed and winked. "It took me months to convince her that we can earn a lot of money with it…she would never admit it…but it was a good idea, believe me!" Xev smiled: "By the way…paying, I think this is the card I have to pay with…!" "Yes, thank you," he took the card Xev held out to him and drew it through some sort of card reader. "Oh, you´re a guest of our government…that´s nice, most of them didn´t come here…it´s a pity, they missing the best part of Arcan´s!" The barman said and gave her the card back. Xev let it slide in a pocket of her blue trousers. "I believe you. I really enjoyed being here. Tell me, what is it that made me feel so strange when I drunk these liquids?" she asked interested. "They contain a intoxicant called alcohol. Too much of it and you feel fuddled…or sick, if it was far too much!" he explained. "You never had drunk something like that before?" "No, not that I´m aware of." "Respect…if it really was for the first time…you must have a very good constitution. Most of those who consumed it for the first time got drunk right after the first one or two glasses. And you´ve drunk ten." The barman said smiling. "I have a good constitution, in many ways…but now I´ve gotta go…Bye!" "Bye, hope to see you again," the barman said and waved her. Xev waved back and left the bar…tried to keep a straight walk when she walked along the empty street back home.

Xev put her boots out and opened the door to their domicile soundlessly. Complete silence prevailed everywhere and Xev moved carefully through the corridor, dropped her boots down on the ground. She opened the door to the bedroom and peered inside. The pale light of T´uara lit the room up a little and Xev could see Kai´s shape on the bed. She closed the door and slipped out of her clothes, never looking away from Kai. His face was directed to her side of the bed, one of the blankets draped around his thighs and waist of his otherwise naked body. Xev noticed that his right hand was clawed into his pillow. He seemed to have nightmares again. Xev sighed inwardly, yes, his body was clearly tensed, now she was able to see it. The strong urge to put him out of this vicious circle was inhumanly fierce, but she also knew that any interruption of this acceptation process would only slow it down. With a heavy heart she let him sleep. Soundlessly she slid under her blanket next to him and listened to his slightly irregular breathing. In some nights he woke up on his own, mostly when his dreams were gone really worse. Sometimes she heard him groaning and sobbing, and sometimes she even could hear him speaking something in a foreign language. She guessed that it was brunnish. How could she ever forget that melodic sound of this language? She never had heard something beyond his song, but it was enough to be sure that he was speaking his mother language. It must be hard for him to know that he was the last one of his people…that he was the last one who could speak this wonderful language…Xev closed her eyes and thought: Maybe he can teach me to speak it too someday . With this thought she rolled to her right side and fell asleep soon.


	14. Revealing the enemy

Chapter 13

Revealing the enemy

Light-years away, deep in the heart of another territory, the Pr´karesh Empire, a single, heavily damaged ship returned to the docks, which were orbiting their center of power – Pr´karesh itself. The constitution of the crew wasn´t any better than the ship, but half of the crew at least had survived, including their Captain. But he was far away from being certain that this meant luck for them. He brought bad news…something that could end up far worse than being killed in battle. The system they lived in rarely excused fails or faults.

The Captain himself had always been a practical man, always careful not to get into trouble, not to do anything against the law. He never understood those who tried to tell him that everything had been better when they still had belonged to the Alliance. He knew that some of them, originating from Pr´karesh, Zala´arana or Jeha´d, once fought in the Alliance fleet, but what had the Alliance done for those planets in the outer borderland? Not very much, he was sure about that. Well, he hadn´t been old enough to remember the difference between the old government and the new one, the change came when he was barely 10 years old. He didn´t care about the differences of an old gone government and the new one. Like he said about himself, he was a practical man, and he wouldn´t have done anything against their strict laws. Why should he? To be the Captain of a warship was something he always wanted to be. So he told the older crewmembers that they had to adjust to the new situation, otherwise he had to punish them. Over time the bad tongues silenced, there were no more speeches about a generation of slaves, puppets on a huge string, everyone was too afraid to say or do something wrong – the punishments made an impact.

Everywhere they became silent, people didn´t ask questions, put something into question any longer, people hadn´t any will on their own…simply their service, their duty and their orders was what counted. If someone didn´t adjust anyway…well, he just vanished…that´s how things were. No one wanted to vanish, so they did as they were told…the Captain too, when the infamous palace guards fetched him.

They took him down to Pr´karesh, to the former governmental building, now "His" palace. The town around once had been full of life, now it was empty. No one was living in the capital city of Pr´karesh any longer. It wasn´t permitted. Safety precautions they said.

The small shuttle landed just in front of the huge building and he was forced to enter. The Captain was there for the first time and asked himself why. Normally the palace guard took officers like him and asked them somewhere else in their head quarters, on Fara´gra, the fifth planet of this system. He didn´t know if it was a very bad sign that he was brought here, here where all the threads were coming together. He now was led through the building, down into one of the great halls, the one opened in front of him once had been the council hall. Now it served as the Emperors control and reception hall.

The grey stonewalls were decorated with screens and tactical information. Some technicians were present at the computer consoles and some of the infamous palace guards were watching everyone and everything, but otherwise the room was empty.

He recognized that one of the screens was active and the Captain saw that it showed the recordings he had made. The guards jostled him towards the dark figure in front of the screen. He automatically fell to his knees, thankful, because he was sure that he couldn´t stand any longer, he really was in a funk.

Even if he never had seen their Emperor, he knew immediately that this scrawny figure in its dark violet clothes was the man who ruled them all - the mighty Emperor of the Pr´karesh Empire!

The man, who was obviously the Emperor, stopped the recordings and froze them where the Lexx turned to fire at the Pr´karesh ships. He had seen this scenario for the third time and still couldn´t believe what he saw. Not because he saw his fleet destroyed for the third time today. No, he was more surprised to see this ship again after such a long time! 4000 years were a long time…but on the other hand, it wasn´t impossible that the most powerful weapon ever built found its way to the DarkZone, his own presence here was proof enough that it was possible to be here, even after such a long time. The question was: how did the ship come here? His eyes narrowed and he pushed back the first possible answers that came into his mind, he had to deal with it later. There were other issues to be discussed first.

"You´re the Captain of the only ship that managed to return from our attack against the 4th Arcannean fleet?" he asked the figure at his feet after he turned. "Yes…!" with a trembling voice the pitiful Captain answered, his gaze on the floor. He wasn´t able to look up into this gloomy face with its stinging, malignant eyes. "Well, not the victorious return I expected…but I begin to understand the reason for it…!" The Emperor turned back to the screen and crossed his arms, oh, how well he could understand the reason for the loss of his ships. The powerful weapon of the Lexx was something he had designed more than 4000 years ago.

He once had been a Biovezir in the service of His Divine Shadow. He had built mighty weapons for His Shadow, mainly based on the insect technology one of the Divine Predecessors had brought to the Cluster when he destroyed the BrunnenG homeworld. One of their small insect crafts had crashed into the bridge of the Foreshadow and the remains of it were given over to the Bioscholars. Admitted his predecessor-biovezirs weren´t very lucky in developing other weapons with this technology…but he, Weapon-Biovezir Taleron, was. He had developed a whole series of powerful weapons from this technology. The end of this line had been the weapon system of the brand new ship His Divine Shadow had started to build at that time – the Lexx. The same ship he now could see on the screen.

The ship impressed him, he never had seen it finished. Well, there was a reason for it.

After his colleague Mantrid had been imprisoned for being a possible threat to His Divine Shadow, all Biovezirs had to be very careful not to end up like him, or, even worse - dead! Yes, His Divine Shadow had been a very incalculable individual, and even if he worked very hard and good for the Divine Order and for His Divine Shadow, even if the work always had been important, it ended all not well for him.

Taleron was obsessed by his work…he built one weapon generation after the next, and always they were more dangerous, more effective and more powerful. Always in search of the perfect weapon. And someday he invented something that he considered a very useful weapon, but this didn´t please His Shadow and before he could explain anything further, the assassins were after him.

What had happened? Talerons idea was to build different kinds of weapons. Not only for ships and for handling, no, he wanted to put some humans into more effective and dangerous weapons than any decarbonized assassin ever could be. He had extracted some DNA from the insect ship remains and used them to generate a series of primitive human-insect-hybrids. He soon discovered that humans with such an altered and manipulated DNA could be a lot more aggressive, as well as the assassins not vulnerable but a lot more persistent, because they didn´t rely on protoblood. For him this could be the perfect elite assassin for the future. But His Shadows reaction he didn´t expect. In place of being thankful for such an incredible invention, the mighty emperor was full of wrath. Taleron´s invention was a sacrilege. Mixing human with insect DNA! There was nothing more badly for the insect His Shadow was. He wanted to eliminate the human race…not them being part of an insect! Taleron had crossed the line, His Shadow woke up his head-assassin to hunt Taleron down to kill him. Taleron had no time to lose when he became knowledge of His Shadows orders. He self-injected the agent he had developed and fled from the Cluster. It was the only chance to save his work, to continue it somewhere else. He was so angry about His Shadow´s blindness to see the potential in this development…but he couldn´t do anything against it…at least in the LightZone, where His Shadow was the law. He somehow managed to escape the assassin and traveled through the Fractal Core into the DarkZone. There, His Shadow had no influence.

But at first Taleron didn´t know what he should do in his exile, he had nothing. No place where he could continue his work, no assistants, and no equipment. But he had to continue his work! He was obsessed by the idea to develop this living weapon…and who knows, maybe someday he would be stronger than the Divine Order and could return to the LightZone to claim his right! But how should he do that, stranded in the middle of nowhere? Taleron hoped that time would be on his side and had set course for any next planetary system. With luck it was a life-bearing planet, developed enough for his purposes. Then he had gone into cryosleep.

But what if after all those years His Shadow might have been faster and found him? He couldn´t rule that out. The urge to fight against humanity might have led His Shadow back to the DarkZone.

Even if he hadn´t anything in common with His Divine Shadow, Taleron could understand the hate he beard towards the human race. When he self-injected this agent he had developed, the insect-DNA soon became a very dominant part of him, and with it came the disgust for the weak society humanity had created. The insect part of him was angry that after the genocide, the insects never could rule this universe again, but hopefully now there were other ways to erect a complete new order! The humans should never be the only rulers of the universe, there should be revenge for their crime against the insects – Taleron wanted to create a complete new civilization, humans which carry insect-DNA, human-insect-hybrids if you want. His Shadow didn´t want a connection between humans and insects, for him it was a sacrilege, but times had changed, it was obvious that humanity couldn´t be destroyed as easily as His Shadow thought, Taleron saw it in the LightZone, too much time was necessary. But with his idea, he would defeat humanity in a complete different way. A successful way! He was working on these plans since his arrival here.

A Pr´karesh trade ship discovered him drifting in space thirty years ago. He was a bit surprised when they woke him up from cryosleep, because he never expected to wake up in a malfunctioning, 4000 year old ship. It seemed that some technical defect caused this long journey to happen. As a result he had to learn more about the new environment he was thrown in, and one surprise followed the next. Even after 4000 years, there was no sign of His Divine Shadow in the DarkZone, something that calmed him. The next surprise was, that the planet he was taken to, Pr´karesh, was part of an Alliance, which existed since thousands of years. Founded by the last surviving humans who fought the insect wars 20000 years ago. This now was the sign he had waited for. There would be no better place to work than here. The insect part of him always flew into passion when he thought of the Arcannea and the other humans who destroyed the insect civilization.

Pr´karesh seemed to be the right place to settle down. It was one of the smaller and undersized members of the Alliance and located on the outer borderland of the Arcannean territory. With his biological and technical knowledge he was a very welcomed guest and for him it was so easy to gain more and more influence over time. For the old government it always had been difficult to be a seriously taken member of the Alliance, because they hadn´t anything to deal with. Talerons promise to change this issue opened many doors and soon he was coming into power. He built a huge fleet of ships, based upon the development he had brought from the Cluster, and his own designed strong weapons. They weren´t that strong and effective as they had been on the Cluster, for the resources he had were small, but it was enough to

conquer other planets here in the outer borderland. His new Empire grew fast and before the Arcannea knew what happened, the Pr´karesh Empire existed next to the Arcannean Alliance. It surprised him how easily their neighbors could be defeated, especially because of their high-developed ships, but they hadn´t calculated that they might be attacked from the inside of their own Alliance. This had been his advantage. He was aware of the need of stronger ships and weapons if he wanted to fight them on and on, so the development of his weapons never stopped. Soon he regained the old strength and he was able to attack Arcannea again and again with success. Soon it became obvious that the Arcannean fleet just managed to withstand him, they weren´t able to claim the lost territory back. He always was a step ahead. This was what happened the past 20 years.

Now his development had reached a new stage. The far better ships and weapons now were clearly superior! His Empire grew constantly since the last months, boosted up his resources, human resources for the war as well as raw material.

It was very important to him to have a functional and effective society. He managed the war and the control of his own human resources very easily. The Cluster gave him example for it. Humans could be controlled so easily with fear and strict laws. This law was carried out by his infamous palace guards, invariably all "modified" humans. They were the backing of his Empire. For him they also were the symbol of the new order he wanted to bring to the universe. Of course, no one really knew the reality behind the strength of these guards, but so they were the perfect instruments of control and fear. Wherever they showed up, the people took cover, too easily everyone could be the next to be taken away to an unknown place.

The secret was kept behind the palace walls he inhabited.

Since his arrival here, the improvement of these "modified" guards was also a successful development. He had established the basis on the Cluster, brought it here inside his blood…and now he developed the final stage for this new race, tested on some of the vanished people, or on "volunteers". It took him much longer than he expected. All the guards were still more or less prototypes. Effective enough for their tasks, but not perfect. Still too vulnerable, too short-lived, there were still a few things he had to improve.

But the latest tests were very promising. The newest generation of agents he developed, which added the necessary parts of insect DNA to the human DNA, needed to be tested on more "volunteers". And of course, the so changed persons needed to be tested too.

He put his attention back to the Captain who still crouched on the floor. He knew that there wasn´t much the Captain may could tell him further, but he asked nevertheless:

"Is there anything you can tell me in addition to the recordings?" The Captain replied desperately: "Only that there wasn´t any chance to defend ourselves, Biovezir, please believe me!" "You may wonder, but I do believe you. For that, I don´t sentence you with the death penalty. Guards!" Taleron waved at two guards, he had an idea how the Captain still could be useful to him. "Take him to unit H7, he is of better use there." The guards nodded wordless. "And send for Sa´k, I want to see him immediately!" Another nod, then the Captain was taken away. The Captain´s eyes widened with fear. He didn´t know what unit H7 was. At first he was relieved when he heard Taleron say, that he shouldn´t be punished with death, but the uncertainty that awaited him produced nearly the same fear.

What the Captain didn´t know, H7 was one of Talerons laboratories where some of those "vanished" people were undergone special treatments which let them either die or, the luckier ones transformed into "modified" guards.

One thing was sure, the Captain surely never would be the same than before, but the pitiful creature didn´t know this at the moment of course.

Taleron looked back at the screen, while he waited for Sa´k. An idea was forming in his mind. He badly needed more information. Especially about the Lexx. Who flew the ship, if not His Shadow? Why was it here? No, he couldn´t imagine that it really was His Shadow. The Lexx might be the most powerful weapon ever built, but that far in the DarkZone without any other ships of the Divine Order around he would never go. Maybe he sent it only for reconnaissance. But he needed to be sure. It was a good time to send some of his elite soldiers deep into the Arcannean territory. It was a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. First, he wanted more information and second, it was time to test the latest generation of elite soldiers for enlightenment and other tasks deep inside the heart of the Arcannean Alliance. And referring to the Lexx he had another special task, for Sa´k.

Sa´k had been the first who was "treated" with the newest generation of his agents. The stage he considered them to be nearly perfect. Sa´k had passed all tests successfully, but he was the currently only one, Taleron needed more of his kind. But not without further tests, so he considered it as a good idea to authorize Sa´k with this special task.

As far as he remembered, there was something special to the Lexx, better said, the control of the Lexx. He had no concrete information about it, but rumors among the Biovezirs had told him, that His Divine Shadow was the only one who could control the Lexx, with a special key he possessed. This now led him directly back to the question: Was it His Shadow who arrived here or not? The behavior let him exclude that, but who then had the control over this ship, and how? This was Sa´ks task to find out. And then, he had to make a plan how it was possible to get in control of the Lexx. The ship was the perfect instrument to show the Arcannean Alliance who will be the next ruler of this part of the DarkZone. His insect part smiled widely at this thought…one step closer to a great victory.

He turned when Sa´k entered the room. Sa´k was a tall man, with brown hair and green eyes. He once had been a volunteer for the program. Well, either he had got a death penalty or he had volunteered for Talerons tests. Sa´k had enough experience with killing, so he was a very welcomed volunteer. The man had killed multiple people on his homeworld Jeha´d, and someday was caught by Talerons palace guards. So he ended up here. Taleron called him his personal guard in the meantime.

Nothing on him told about his special "part". He looked completely human, but he wasn´t. He was much stronger than any human ever could be, also his self-healing powers were fully functional and last but not least, besides his ability to be a perfect killer, he was a very good tactical thinker. "I´ve got something to do for you, Sa´k," Taleron greeted him and pointed at the screen. "I want you and three of our elite soldiers to fly to Arcan´s. It´s time to get more information to coordinate our final attack. I want you to destroy their main supply, the Arcannea-station. Your special task, Sa´k is, to find out more about this ship, the Lexx. I want to know why it had come here, who controls it, and, if possible I want you to take the ship here, to Pr´karesh." Sa´k nodded. "Do you have any needful tactical information I should know to fulfill the task?" Taleron walked over to one of the control units and gave Sa´k a small flat crystal disc. "That´s everything I know about the ship and the current situation. Go now!" Sa´k bowed shortly: "Yes, Biovezir, we will be successful!" "I´m waiting for reports if possible!" Taleron said and released his servant. Sa´k left the hall and started his mission without any hesitation and questioning.

Taleron nodded in satisfaction. The recent defeat was still hurting, but it wasn´t really important for his ongoing plans. He would be crazy if he hadn´t something up his sleeve. Things were developing on their side, and the Arcannea soon will be helpless enough to start the final attack! Nothing pleased him more than the thought of their soon break-up!

Taleron left the hall for his private rooms, he needed some time to plan their next steps and of course, a little rest would be welcomed too.


	15. An invitation for dinner

Chapter 14

An invitation for dinner

The people on Arcan´s and on hundred other worlds of the Alliance didn´t know anything of Talerons plans of course, but they would never admit that he could defeat them without resistance. Too much of their ancestors was still inside them. They would work and fight to the last.

Morning had nearly passed by when Xev awoke. She lolled and stretched in the sunlight and opened her eyes, squinted to her right. The bed next to her was empty. Kai already seemed to be up. Xev put her blanket aside and got up too. She put on her clothes and scuffled to the living room. "Kai?" she asked yawning, when she couldn´t discover him anywhere. "Oh my heart, you´re awake, let me recite my newest morning poem…!" Xev sighed inwards, 790 was the last she wanted to meet this morning. "Not now, 790, I´m still tired. Where´s Kai?" "Don´t know, don´t care – not here!" 790 answered happily. "Really? That´s something I can see too," her gaze went to the table and she discovered a plate with breakfast and something to drink. She smiled. Oh Kai It was such a strange and touching sensation to know that someone thought of her. Her stomach growled and she forgot Kai´s absence for a moment. She sat down on the couch, ignored 790´s ongoing gaggling and dispatched the food hungrily. It was so delicious. She leaned back and sighed. Yes, the way to anyone's heart is through one´s stomach! After a few moments relaxing she felt a low air draft stroking over her skin. She sat up and sniffed, a heavy flavor of salt came with it. She stood up and walked over to the terrace door, which was slightly open. She slid outside and blinked into the sunlight. A soft breeze washed over her and carried more salty flavor with it. Xev looked over to Stan's domicile, everything was still quiet there and she smiled. Then she strolled down to the beach, enjoyed again the water spilling over her bare feet. Slowly she walked to the left side, constantly watching out for her beloved. "Kai?" she called again, but again there was no answer. Where the heck was he? She turned around a slight bend, where the fine sandy beach passed into a rocky bank. The rocks formed the bluff on the outer left side she was able to see from their domicile. Finally she discovered him sitting upright on one of the bigger rocks. Xev paused surprised and kept hold of the scenery for a moment. Her heart beat faster when the beauty of this moment filled her. Kai wore totally different clothes as usual, he had put on a blue shirt and dark blue trousers, and she guessed that he had found them in the wardrobe like she had hers before. They were a wonderful contrast to the grayish-brown rocks and they suit him very well. He didn´t bother to braid his long black hair, so it fell openly down his back. The soft wind let a few strands dance in front of his face. Kai didn´t show any reaction when they touched his skin, he had closed his eyes and seemed to be somewhere far away. Xev sighed deeply. He looked so drop-dead gorgeous. It was difficult for her to explain what she felt in those moments. Slowly she drew nearer, balanced soundlessly on the rocks. She didn´t want to disturb him, she just wanted to be close to him. But Kai suddenly looked over to her and opened his eyes. Xev stopped surprised for a moment. How could he…? Well, then she knew why. How dare could she think that she was able to sneak up to an ex-assassin? Kai might be alive and human again, but the implant in his head still was existent and no one could rule out that the programming still had some influence on his skills and maybe on his behavior too. Not that she assumed that it was any threat to him or to others, but the remains sometimes scared her a bit, not the skills he may had through it, but the memories to what he had done with them before. She closed the distance between them fast and pecked a kiss on his cheek. "Morning!" she said. "Morning," he replied calm. "Thanks for the breakfast," she said smiling and sat down next to him. Kai nodded: "You slept very long?" It was more a determination than a question, but Xev felt the urge to explain him why. "I´m sorry, I came home very late…" she said embarrassed and told him about her night. Kai listened carefully but his gaze wandered absent over the glistening sea. Xev eventually realized Kai´s absence and asked: "Everything alright?" Kai looked back at her, then down: "I…hadn´t have a good night," he replied hesitating. "Nightmares…?" Xev asked, remembering the tightness his body showed last night when she went to bed. "No nightmares…Xev, things that really happened," he answered barely audible. Xev put forth her hand and touched his cheek gently, stroke some strands behind his ear and forced him to look at her. "Kai, whatever happened, it wasn´t your fault…don´t let those memories dictate your life!" Kai shook his head slowly and pulled Xev hand away. "It´s not that easy, Xev," he said and looked away. The night he was reminded to one of the worst orders His Shadow had ever placed him.

They were in a threesome. Their aim had been a planet with 30 000 inhabitants, all of them fugitives, mostly families of rebels. They all should be eliminated – to make an example of, to let his Empire know what happened to those who rebelled against his order. Without mercy and without premonition the storm of death closed in over them. In only a few hours the whole population, 90 of them women and children, was dead. Hunted down and killed like cattle. Again it was stomach churning for Kai when the pictures came back into his mind. He pressed his lips together and looked back at the sea. To know that he hadn´t any control of what he had done, wasn´t very comforting at all. The memories, the guilt and the disgust he felt couldn´t be washed away with that knowledge. In those moments he asked himself again and again if this new life wasn´t a fault. His soul was now burdened with more guilt than he could probably ever deal with. Since his people had discovered eternal life, life had become something sacred, no BrunnenG had ever thought about killing for thousands of years. For him the thought about taking anyone's life had been absurd and strange, too. But he always had been the opinion that death had to be part of their life, something very controversy these days and, of course, only one of many points he didn´t agree with the common opinion.

Maybe it was the usual universal sarcasm that made it happen that a BrunnenG became one of the worst murderers ever heard of.

He felt Xev´s arm around his shoulders and the first intention to pull away from her faded quickly, at once he was relieved that she was at his side, that someone was there who could at least understand his pain, his desperation a little. It was her presence that let him ease his burden a little. He looked back into her worried face.

Xev was able to see the sadness and those unshed tears in his eyes and she knew immediately that he must have remembered something really worse. She didn´t ask, she knew that he couldn´t talk about everything from his past, instead she pulled him comforting into her arms. It took a while, but soon she felt that he breathed in deeply and got balanced again.

Kai had laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. He was thankful for her embrace and he felt the horrible memory fading. Then the empty space was filled with something else, a dream he had have this night, too. At least he thought it must have been a dream, because he knew that it wasn´t a memory, but there was something strange with this dream. He never experienced this kind of dream before.

He had heard someone calling his name. At first he thought it was Xev, but when he opened his eyes to answer her, she hadn´t been there, she still had been out. He had shaken it off as imagination and dozed off again. But it took only few moments when the strange dream continued and he heard someone calling his name again. "Kai-last of the BrunnenG-come to me…!" Kai didn´t woke up this time, he felt himself allured to this voice and tried to discover who called his name over and over again. Soon he saw a female figure in front of him. She was bathed in a strange light, seemed to float like she was surrounded by water. Her dark hair whirled around her like an aureole. She had put forth her right hand and gestured him to follow her. Kai hesitated only a moment before he did, he was far too curious what all this meant. When she turned he was surprised to see that she was completely covered with those strange tattoos he had seen somewhere before and that she "swam" away from him. How could she live under water? Was she some kind of mermaid? But no, those creatures only live in legends, and they hadn´t legs…. Did he loose his mind or what was happening to him? He heard a soft laughter, it sounded like carillon, then the woman, or whatever she was, turned and stopped. "Every legend has a true source…Kai." Kai asked: "Who are you? How do you know my name? What do you want?" "We´ve waited for you– a very long time!" "Waited? For me? Why?" he had asked unbelievingly, he really wasn´t sure if he was loosing his mind this moment. "Come to me, last of the BrunnenG, and you´ll understand!" "I´m here, what do you want?" But she only had smiled. Kai had shaken his head and asked again: "Who are you? What do you want?" "I want you to visit me, Kai…!" "Why?" "To find again what you´ve lost…!" was the only answer he got. It confused him more and more. Well, he had indeed lost a lot, starting with his home, ending with himself, but what did she know about his problems? The strange woman seemed to know exactly what he thought and answered: "Come to me…and your questions will be answered!" Kai gave up. "Where can you be found?" The woman moved closer to him and whispered: "In the deepest of all oceans – beyond all tides – that´s where I live. I know now that you´ll come soon…!" Then she had vanished as suddenly as she had appeared. Kai had fallen into a dreamless sleep right after and when he woke up this morning it had been the first thing he remembered. Kai had thought about it all the morning, but hadn´t come closer to any solution. But he felt somewhere deep inside that this hadn´t been a hallucination, as well as the dream he had about his past not long ago. Arcannea was a really strange place, this was something he could say so far. So, what else could he do as to search for this strange creature – wherever she could be found. Slowly he raised his head and looked at Xev. Maybe it was better to share this with her, she always had have good ideas in the past. So he overcame his inhibitions and told her about the strange vision. Xev was very surprised when she heard the story, and she thought about it some time. "Maybe," she started, "this creature is somehow associated with water? I mean, she had talked about the "deepest of all oceans", so maybe she is somewhere on Sha´ra, this waterplanet?" "A hint I thought of, too, but she could have meant it in a philosophical way too, the universe is a kind of ocean as well," he said. "Maybe, but then you could have dreamt elsewhere of her, but you did it here…!" Xev objected. Kai nodded slowly. "You know what?" Xev put her hands on his shoulder and stroke gently over his hair, let her fingers ran down through it: "Why don´t you ask president Shereen? I mean, she´s from Sha´ra, she could know something." Kai´s expression relaxed a bit and he agreed: "We should ask her, you´re right. Whatever happens, this creature seems to be very sure about my visit…it sounded as certain as the prophecy of the TimeProphet, when she told me about the end of my people," Kai sighed. "Another prophecy?" she asked. "I don´t hope for that. I haven´t had any luck with prophecies in the past…!" he answered thoughtfully. Xev, nodded, yes, this was true, almost. The prophecy finally caused the end of the Divine Order and His Shadow, actually a good outcome…but at what costs! Xev sighed inwardly and changed the topic. They couldn´t do anything until they meet the president, and she didn´t want to think about strange dreams and horrible pasts now. "What do you want to do today?" she asked Kai and pulled him with her, together they walked the way back. "What do you want to do?" he asked back. She let her gaze wander longing over the glistening sea. "How good are your swimming skills?" she asked. Kai smiled and tilted his head: "I never tested them out, but for I am not longer decarbonized, and so not in danger to sink down to the ground…there´s no reason why I shouldn´t be an acceptable swimmer…" Xev gave him a wide grin and stopped walking. "So?" "So what?" he replied. "What do you think of swimming in this wonderful sea…?" "If you´d love to," he said gently. Xev undressed herself instead for an answer and let her clothes fell onto the white sand. "Coming?" she asked. Kai couldn´t help himself than to smile. "Oh, come on, I know that you´re not afraid of water!" she laughed and started to unbutton his shirt, let it fell next to her clothes. She let her hand ran over his bare chest down to his waist and loosed his trousers as well. Completely naked, Kai stepped out the trousers, put them aside and kissed her softly. "I´m not afraid of water, but like so many other things, I´m a little bit out of practice…!" He said and stroke over her skin. Xev rolled her eyes. "Liar," she said. "I´m sure you´ll get accustomed to it soon, even if it´s not a bathtub." She took his hand and together they walked into the sea. The water was agreeable warm and Xev sighed happily. She loved to feel the water all around her naked body. She let go of Kais hand and swam a few meters away. For Kai it wasn´t really difficult to swim in the open sea, he was surprised that he got accustomed to it so very quickly. Xev smiled widely when she discovered that he was in fact a very good swimmer, so they swam together far away from the bank and started to hunt each other across the small bay. Xev´s clusterlizard side had a lot of fun, for she loved hunting. And she was happy that she was able to catch her beloved more times than he could her. Sometime they stopped exhausted, and floated on the water next to each other in the shallow depth near the beach. Xev enjoyed the warm sunlight on her naked body and sighed happily. "Kai?" she asked her neighbor. "Hm?" came the reply. Xev turned on her front side and drifted next to him. "Could you imagine to live here, on this planet?" she asked. Kai opened his eyes he had closed for a moment and looked at her. "It is a beautiful place, it reminds me in more than one thing to my home," he said thoughtfully, "But I have no preferences where to live, Xev. If you and Stan decide to stay here, I´ll be here, too. Whatever makes you happy Xev." Xev crushed softly into his floating body. "What would make you happy?" she asked gently and let her fingers playfully caressing his chest. Kai watched her fingers wandering and replied hesitantly: "I´m not sure if I can give you a proper answer, Xev, to be sure about something what could make me happy, I have to experience it, there weren´t many things which made me really happy since my new life began." Xev sighed, she thought this was an easy question, but it seemed that she was wrong. Well, referring to Kai such questions weren´t really easy to be answered, she tended to forget that sometimes. "I would be happy if we could stay here, it´s the first planet we weren´t threatened or something like that…!" Xev said, bringing her body closer to his. "You shouldn´t forget that they´re at war. We can´t be certain that some things might change for them, for their planet, for their way to live." Kai said. "I know, one more reason to help them, in my opinion." "We´ll see, this issue is going to be discussed this evening," Kai reminded her. "You´re right, not yet. Let us relish this wonderful day…there were so few in life." Xev said dreamily. Kai smiled slightly. Indeed, there weren´t plenty of those days in a lifetime, days without worries, nothing than relaxing and enjoying the day. He reached for her arm and pulled her closer. "But among those few things I know they make me happy, there is surely something you´ll like too…!" Xev smiled when she felt his arms around her body and she knew exactly what he wanted to point out. The lustful spark in his eyes was enough to let her understand. She closed her eyes and let it happen…

Later that day, when they were sitting on the beach in each other's arms, Stanley and Yareena joined them. Stan introduced Yareena to Kai, who didn´t know her yet, but recognized that she must originally be from Sha´ra too, like Shereen, for she had the same kind of tattoos and the same look. Both couples started to talk about this and that the whole afternoon. Xev was relieved that Stan hadn´t told too much so far, only few bits and pieces about their strange adventures on the Lexx. Soon Yareena bid farewell, she told them that her holiday was over, and that she had to be on the Arcannea-station in a couple of hours. Stan of course was very sad, but they promised each other to meet again. So the day soon was over and the three friends ended up in Xev´s and Kai´s domicile. Stan surely hadn´t smiled that often for a long time and he was truly happy. Xev smiled at Kai when they listened to Stan´s never ending enthusiasm about Yareena. 790 curled up his digital mouth scowling: "Stop it, no one could bear this…!" he growled. "You´re only jealous, robothead. I think we should look for any dialog partner for you…then your not alone any longer!" Stan said blitheful. "Why should I be jealous? I have my Xevoliscious…" "Well, I think, at the moment she is far more interested in Kai, than in you…!" Stan turned 790 around, so he could see Kai and Xev. Xev had used the opportunity of Stan and 790´s discussion to coerce Kai for a kiss. "Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!" screamed 790. Startled Xev and Kai parted as if both were caught in doing something forbidden. "790! That´s enough. Off, until I tell you to switch on again!" "But…" "No buts," Xev looked grimly at him. "Off!" "Och…" His screens turned black. "Thank you Xev, this was overdue," Stan sighed and put 790 back on the table. "He could be a pain in the ass sometimes," Kai agreed. Xev started to laugh and looked surprised at Kai, he never had talked like this before. Kai only shrugged his shoulders with an innocent expression, and then he vanished in the bathroom to put his black clothes on again. "At what time Te´ran wanted to fetch us?" she asked through the door whilst changing her blue outfit against her usual dress. "Didn´t he say in the evening?" Stan asked back and sat down on the couch. "Thought so, yes…hope we haven´t wait too long," Xev finished dressing by putting her boots on. Some seconds later Kai joined them again, fully dressed in his BrunnenG style. Xev arched her brow inquiring. "It´s time to play with open cards!" was his only comment. Xev tilted her head and simply accepted it. She knew that there was no need to put Kai´s decisions into question. Just that moment, their doorbell rang. Stan jumped up and opened. It was Te´ran. "Hello, I hope you enjoyed your day?" he greeted them smiling. "Oh yes, thanks a lot for your hospitableness!" "You´re welcome. Are you ready to go? In the meantime a lot of things happened, that´s why I am here a little earlier than planned, Shereen wants to talk to you as fast as possible," Te´ran said and meant them to follow him. The Lexx-crew entered the small shuttle Te´ran had land on the same place as before. Their pilot started the machines and soon they left the planet. Te´ran flew them with high-speed from Arcan´s to Sha´ra. It took them about twenty minutes until they reached the upper atmosphere. Then Te´ran dived through the clouds and the shuttle raced over the deep blue water surface. "I ask myself where we should meet the president here, I mean, swimming isn´t the best thing I can do!" Stan said querulous when he saw all the water. Also it reminded him uncomfortably to the planet Water and his "death" by drowning. "They live under the water surface, on the sea bottom, Stanley," Kai said calm. "Under water? How is that possibleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…!" Stan stuck to the back of the seat in front of him when suddenly the shuttle tilted down forward. "Hold on, we have to continue our way under the water surface. The sea is a bit rough today, so it could be a bit turbulent." Te´ran warned them and he maneuvered the shuttle from air into water. There were really a few turbulences when they changed the medium, but it wasn´t very intense. A soft rumbling went through the ship and different engines went into action. Completely calm they continued their way. "Wow!" Xev said when she looked outside through the windows. They passed several sea life forms on their way down to the bottom. They raced through the darkness and slowly Xev asked herself how the people of Sha´ra could live here. Her question was answered soon when the shuttle turned and she saw a light shining through the darkness. Minutes later the light became brighter and they could see a massive complex emerging out of the darkness. "That´s Dreemar, where Shereen and I live when we´re on Sha´ra. She´s born here." Te´ran said and slowed down, so they could have a better look at the city. The city consisted of a huge variety of partially transparent buildings. Some were dome-shaped, some had streamlined shapes, but it was obvious that all of these buildings were the result of a long experience with living under water. All of those buildings were somehow connected. Te´ran told them that they had connections located underground or on the surface of the sea bottom. The city itself was now glinting like a jewel when Te´ran passed some of the buildings. Xev was fascinated by their architecture and their way of life. She never thought that it was possible to live under water. Te´ran navigated the shuttle to one of the dome-shaped buildings and let the shuttle sank down to the bottom. A door opened and the shuttle vanished inside complete darkness. "It´s the airlock of our home and the easiest way to enter the building. We can leave the shuttle in a few minutes. The decompression and the water pumping out will take a moment…!" Te´ran left the pilot seat and waited on the door. Then some lights outside went back on and Te´ran opened the door. "Welcome to Sha´ra!" The four climbed out the shuttle and looked around. The airlock itself wasn´t very spectacular, only a simple chamber where two shuttles could be parked. Xev looked up to the ceiling where they entered the room, now it was closed of course, but the wet passageway told her, that a few minutes before there had been a lot of water inside. Te´ran guided them to another door that led directly to his home. An elevator took them to the living quarters. "Please, after you. Shereen is waiting for you, I´ll join you later." He opened the door to a huge room and let them enter. The room's ceiling consisted of a translucent material that gave them unhampered view to the sea life outside. Weak spotlights enlightened the area a little, so they could see various animals. The furnishing of them room was very elegant and friendly and impressed all three.

Shereen was sitting on a suite with an unknown person, when they entered. Now she stood up to greet them. "Welcome to our home. I hope you´ll enjoy your stay here as well as I always do…!" she said smiling. "_If_ you have the time to be here…!" The stranger interrupted and rose from his seat too. Shereen looked sideward and introduced the man: "Xev, Stanley, Kai, this is Dr. Shore´, a very good friend and my counselor…" "…and scientist, she always embezzles that!" Shore´ laughed and shook hand with the Lexxcrew. "The meal will soon be served, if you´re interested, we can show you a bit around!" she offered. Xev nodded and gazed the huge dome over them and Stan posed some questions at Shore´. Shereen watched Kai taking a closer look at some incredible pictures and works of art on the wall. When the three had entered and she saw Kais appearance, she detected something very familiar without knowing what it might be. He was dressed differently, that´s what she recognized first, but to what did he remind her? She shook her head slightly; this man was really strange.

Kai didn´t notice her confused gaze, a picture caught his attention at the same time and he drew closer to it. As a young man on Brunnis he always had been interested in art and studied a lot of his people's art, so he recognized special and precious work. The picture he was attracted by was mounted in a special place in the room. Astonished he recognized that it showed the strange woman he had dreamt of. Carefully and puzzled he touched the outlines of the colorful picture. "It´s wonderful, isn´t it?" asked a voice behind him. Kai dropped his hand and asked: "Who is she?" "She´s an old legend of Sha´ra. Well, actually a living legend. She is called the prophetess of the Deep Sea. It´s custom to visit her on a pilgrimage at the end of your childhood, to learn what fate might awaits you in life, or better said, what task you should have in life," Shereen explained and made a step forward at his side. Kai tilted his head and looked at her. "It´s a prearrangement for the rest of your life. It´s really true, you can believe me, she exists. Otherwise I would have never become president of the Arcannea Alliance." Kai nodded thoughtfully, not very surprised about what she told him. "I believe you," he said, "I dreamt of her last night," he added after a short break. Shereen made a step back and looked at him in surprise: "You did what?" Kai looked into her eyes and repeated: "I dreamt of her. I wanted to ask you about her, when I saw this picture here…!" Shereen gulped. This sounded really strange in her ears. Kai saw her confusion and put his hand forward. "Watch it, if you want," he offered. Hesitantly Shereen took his hand and closed her eyes, deeply hoping that the first experience she had made wouldn´t repeat a second time. She pressed her lips together when the pictures streamed into her mind. The first impressions were a little mixed up, before Kai could think completely straight of his dream. She caught some pictures of an exploding planet, dead people and all over it laid this inexplicable sadness. But then it was over and she only received the dream. He had told the truth, he really had dreamt of her. And she wanted him to visit her. Another strange aspect she determined. Then the dream faded, he broke their contact abruptly as if he wanted to spare her any further things. Shereen furrowed her brows. This man was all mystery to her, a complete riddle. What did all this mean? Why did he dream about the prophetess? As far as she knew, no non-Sha´ran had ever dreamt of the prophetess, and of course, no non-Sha´ran was ever invited to visit her! Again there was this familiar impression when she examined him…as if she hadn´t seen him for the first time.

Well, she knew she hadn´t known him before, at least not in this life. Desperately she tried to remember why his appearance was so very familiar to her. She knew that he wasn´t really different to other humans she met in her life, well, he was very good looking, and something in his demeanor reminded her of a proud warrior, even if there was this hint of sadness in it. Warriors, Xev and Stan really didn´t look like they were kind of these, so why did he? Somehow those three didn´t seem to fit together, but only when she thought of this aspect; in a complete other she detected closeness she only knew from families.

"Who are you?" she asked hauntingly. Kai didn´t answer at once, he closed his eyes for a moment, asked himself if this was the right moment to answer her question, and not very surprisingly, his inner self told him to do so. "I am Kai, last of the BrunnenG," he said softly in a low voice. Shereen blinked when she heard what he said. "BrunnenG?" she asked puzzled. Kai nodded. BrunnenG . Slowly it seeped into her mind. How could she been so blind! The hairdo, of course! Now she knew why he had been so familiar to her. Only the BrunnenG wore their hair in this way. But what did he mean by Last of the BrunnenG ? What does that mean? He couldn´t be the last of this once so great people… Her thoughts tumbled, and she nearly missed the call that the meal was served. Kai seemed to notice her confusion and added: "Like you said when you welcomed us, it´s custom to tell stories during dinner, I suggest we´ll do that now. Then you´ll understand!" Shereen nodded absently and guided him to the table, where plenty variations of food were served. They all sat down after Shereen welcomed them again, not taking her gaze off Kai. Xev looked inquiring at Kai and he signalized her that she could tell their whole story without any exceptions. After Te´ran joined them, she started to tell the three Arcannea everything. Sometimes Stan threw some words in, Kai added his own story, but most of the time she talked.

The meal was long finished when she ended: "That´s how we got here!" Thirsty, she took a deep draft of water. Shereen, Shore´ and Te´ran kept silence for a while. Affected Shereen broke the silence: "That´s a story I never expected to hear, really." She understood, the whole thing made sense now. But it saddened her to hear what had happened to the BrunnenG. After 18000 years the fate of the BrunnenG was revealed. She looked at Kai: "I´m sorry to hear that after all your people were killed by the enemy we thought we had defeated together such a long time ago…" Now she understood the sensations she had felt inside him. His story was a sad one, tragic; she knew that she never would find the proper words to tell him what she felt this moment. So she touched his hand for a second and let him know. Kai closed his eyes for a moment and nodded, accepting her sympathy. But inwardly he sighed. Why did all people always think of him as victim? He had been a committer much longer. Sometimes he couldn´t understand them. But maybe that´s how humans were – always touched by any single fate. "No human should ever have to experience something like that!" Shore´ added. "So, our ancestors weren´t able to destroy all insects…something we always feared. Now we have the ultimate proof for it." Te´ran shook his head. "I´m glad that this last insect you called His Divine Shadow could be killed after all. But so late, it´s horrible to hear that he was able to control this other universe nearly entirely and used the humans to destroy themselves." Shereen nodded. "We´re all very sad to hear that one insect at least had survived and of course, that it interfered so much with your own life." Stan answered: "Fortunately, this is history, we managed to kill His Divine Shadow and now have the Lexx, I believe it to be the last remains of the insects…we should be happy about that!" Shereen hesitated, as well as Shore´ and Te´ran. "Well, that´s not…completely…right," she finally said. Kai listened attentively: "What do you mean with it?" Nervously Shore´ cleared his throat. "You must know that we decided not to use insect based technology after the war, we developed this bio-organic technology you can see everywhere. Of course there were connections between bio-organic technology and insect-technology, because both technologies use bioorganic material, but what we mean when we talk about insect-technology is the one the BrunnenG had developed to defeat the insects. So in general you were right when you say that the Lexx is the last remain of any insect technology. But I fear, we have to revise that." "To what extent?" asked Stanley. Shore´ looked inquiring at Shereen and she agreed to tell them what he had found out not long ago. Shore´ started: "As you know, we´re at war with the Pr´karesh, I´m going to tell you the reason why and everything else what you want to know,…" Shore´ told them everything he had explained during the council meeting and it was obvious that those news were a bit shocking. "Ships with insect technology? Here, in the DarkZone?" Stan asked dumbfounded. "How is that possible?" Kai said calm: "His Shadow had survived and crossed over into the LightZone, the Lexx and we left the Cluster and crossed over into the DarkZone, so why shouldn´t it be possible that something or someone else may could have left the Cluster too?" Xev and Stan looked a bit unbelievingly at him, this thought was really startling. "Are you serious?" Stan asked. Kai only shrugged his shoulders. "I can´t rule it out. I have no knowledge about the DarkZone and its history the past 18000 years, but if I implicate Shore´´s comments, there were no remains of insect technology left over in the DarkZone, at least not any known remains. So my conclusion leads to that." Shereen nodded slowly: "That´s indeed a thing we should consider. We weren´t aware that besides this universe another one exists, existed, some of our scientist were this opinion, but we never found any proof for it. But 4000 years is a long time for someone to survive…" "We did survive," Xev said thoughtfully, "Maybe Kai is right, if we did, why shouldn´t anything or anyone might have survived too?" She looked at the others. "Why haven´t you sent any troops or spies to Pr´karesh to solve that riddle?" Stan asked. Te´ran shook his had sadly: "Of course we did, but no one ever came back. We lost dozens of ships and people. It´s senseless. The few spies we we´re able to integrate couldn´t help us either, it´s to risky to order them to infiltrate their government."

"I should discuss this issue with the council. But wherever these technology came from, who brought it…they were clearly superior, and we really have more and more problems to hold our lines, to defend the planets our citizens were living on." Shereen said. "I fear that if we couldn´t come up with something everything would be lost… maybe we join the fate of your people soon, Kai. Defeated not by insects, but their technology!" Kai tilted his head and closed his eyes for a moment. He remembered his own world perish into fire. "If I´m any help for you, I´ll be glad to assist you in this fight." He said after a short break. Shereen was affected by his offer and answered: "Thank you. We really could need a little bit help!" Shereen rose from her seat and started to pace up and down. "We didn´t want to involve you in this war, for I know, that you were on the quest for a new home…but we would be very glad if we were allowed to study the Lexx. His resistance against the immense firepower of the Pr´karesh ships may be useful for our own ships, too." "Oh, it would be more easy to fly to Pr´karesh and blow the whole planet up!" Stan said hastily. Kai shook his head: "But there were also living people, Stanley. I´m not the opinion that the people there had a big choice what their government does. Like on the Cluster. If we want to change the situation we have to destroy their order, not their home and the normal people. Then we wouldn´t be any better than they are!" "Kai is right. There might be another solution. If we were able to copy the resistance of the Lexx, we will have a far bigger chance to fight against their troops!" Shore´ said. Stan nodded. "Okay, if this doesn´t harm the Lexx in any way, I´ll agree to that." Shore´ explained: "We have no interest to harm the Lexx. We only need some data. Don´t worry!" Xev nodded: "If this is any help to you, why not?" It took a load off Shereen´s mind when she heard their agreement. "You can´t imagine how helpful this is for us…it gives us new hope…hope our people need very very badly!" Shore´ rose up. "I´m so very glad for your permission and if you don´t mind, I want to start immediately. The less time we loose, the more lives we may be able to save. With your agreement, Stanley…?" "Oh, yeah, of course. No problem! What do I have to do?" "Well, I think, I have to assemble my team first, and the equipment we need, I suggest we coordinate everything from the Arcannea-station. The security-chief will surely be very helpful…" Stan listened attentively: "Security-chief, isn´t that someone called Yareena?" Shore´ nodded in slight surprise: "Yes, do you know her?" Stan smiled coyly: "Yes…" Shereen looked inquiring at Xev. "It seems that he fell in love with her," Xev said broadly smiling. "They met on Arcan´s." Xev laughed when Stan blushed. "With Yareena? That was about time, really, I always was afraid she would put her career over her private life!" Shereen smiled too. Yareena always had been one of her best friends. She grew up with her on Sha´ra and later, both studied on Arcan´s. Stan grinned and scratched his chin. "Well, that´s a strange coincidence…so, there´s nothing I would do more gladly than to coordinate the transfer to the Lexx with her." Shore´ clapped his hands and said: "Well, then it´s settled. May we go?" Stan nodded and was about to leave with Shore´ when Xev stopped him: "Take 790, he may be useful for the data transfer or something else…" 790´s screens popped on again. "Never, I´d never go with this insane meat loaf…!" he protested. "First 790, I told you to stay off, second…you will. I want to help those people, and so I want you to help them too, okay?" "Oh, but couldn´t you go to the Lexx and do the work the left-handed fool should do?" the robot head muttered. "790, you know that Stan is the only one who had the…who is the Captain, and so only he could do this. Be nice!" Xev gave 790 over to Stan. "Well, 790, it seems that we should work together at this…!" "Unfortunately, yes!" 790 really wasn´t happy, but if Xev requested to do so, he would. Te´ran left with Stan and Shore´ to fly them to the Arcannea Station. Shereen, Kai and Xev were dropped behind. Shereen shook her head in amazement. "This robot head is the weirdest thing I´ve ever seen." Xev sighed: "Me too, I´m happy that I didn´t got that treatment, puh. What now?" Shereen looked from Xev to Kai, her silver eyes were glinting. "There is something that needed to be done, what about a visit to the prophetess?" Xev got big eyes: "Does she really exists?" Shereen´s gaze wandered back to her. "Yes, Kai and I talked about her before we started the dinner. It´s possible to visit her. She lives not very far away from here. If you´re ready, we can go to her now!" Kai nodded in agreement. He badly wanted to know what this strange person wanted of him. "If it doesn´t make short of it?" He said. "Of course not. We have plenty of time. Let us go. We´ll take our small undersea speed boat." Xev looked at Kai: "Another prophet…maybe another prophecy?" Kai pressed his lips together. That´s what he wanted to find out. The thing he was curious about and the thing he feared most. Another prophecy – what outcome would it be this time?


	16. The Prophetess of the Deep Sea

Chapter 15

The prophetess of the Deep Sea

It was really a question he feared. The last prophecy had brought the end to his people. A superior enemy also had threatened them, an apparently superior enemy. Hadn´t the BrunnenG been so isolated, so pathetic and old, they surely had been able to defeat His Shadow. The Arcannea now were different. They were a very well fortified nation, but threatened by a real superior enemy. But he could see some parallels between both historical events. Again insect-technology was involved, again he had to go to a prophet to learn about his, their or whoever's fate. What might she tell him this time? Again the destruction of a people? She was not the Time Prophet, but the strange sensation of fate playing another important role couldn´t be shaken off. His body tensed automatically when he remembered all those things that resulted from the first prophecy: The arrival of His Shadow, the destruction of Brunnis2, the death of his people and fighting friends, his own death when he tried to fulfill the prophecy – and his failure. Kai´s lips pressed together slightly when his thoughts went back to his unsuccessful attack. The bitter taste of failure was still present. He pushed it back. No, whatever happened, this time he won´t admit any failure, any imminent destruction. Whatever he could do, he would do. Maybe it was a second chance for him, a second chance to do something he couldn´t do before – to end something in success. Or maybe fate came up with another thing to torture him. Sometimes Kai felt endless tired, tired of this fight with his past, tired of taking this new life under control. Then all motivation nearly left him. It was if he was dead again. He remembered his only motivation, or wish, when he had been dead: The dead wanted to be dead. He wanted a real, proper and final death. So he could meet up with his people in the DreamZone. The place where he was not permitted to go after His Shadow had killed him, because he never had died completely. His soul had been captured in some sort of limbo – obviously the planet Water. His body had been altered into some sort of a chemical-biological machine and of course, His Shadow had stolen everything he once had been, his personality, his memories, and he was sure that a part of his soul also went with it. After he regained the memories from exactly this former Divine Shadow, he felt this part for a brief moment, before it fled and joined the rest of his soul. There was no place for a soul in a dead and yet, not really dead body…This now was clear to him…since he got his life back and his soul returned to his living body, he understood that. But this experience wasn´t very pleasant, another thing that made this new life a real misery sometimes. No wonder when he often felt no motivation to go on. The thought about the fact that he now really _could_ die, that this time his soul was free to join his people in the DreamZone, attracted him very much. But something still held him back. First, committing suicide wasn´t an honorable death, and second…there was Xev.

But despite all, the strong wish to die was always present and he knew that he longed for the day he could die, however he tried to feign himself. He never told Xev about this thoughts, he knew it would upset her, would worry her…and he didn´t want to worry her. Kai sighed inwardly, nothing was eternal, and everything dies sometimes, so why worry? Someday it would happen…he only had to be patient, even if his patience was somewhat used up after 6000 years.

With a small undersea speedboat they left Dreema. Shereen navigated the ship without any visible guidance system. She seemed to know exactly where to go. After several minutes she stopped and let the boat sank slowly down to the ground again. Xev couldn´t see a thing in this darkness and she asked herself how Shereen managed to navigate the ship. Then Shereen switched the lights on and the spotlights hit some ruins on the sea bottom. Xev blurt out a surprised sound. "What´s that?" she asked. "It once was a city built by our ancestors." Shereen answered and navigated between several high buildings. "These architecture is completely different to your current one. I assume that this city wasn´t built for a life under water?" Kai asserted, when he observed the passing buildings. A lot of undefined waste lay around everywhere. "You´re right. We hadn´t always lived under water. Once, millennia's ago, our ancestors had lived on the surface of the planet – that was before the water level had risen and buried all land, it also was long before the insect war took place. Now their cities lay on the bottom of the sea." Shereen explained. "I first thought that it always had been like this…!" Xev wondered. Shereen shook her head: "No, otherwise I think we wouldn´t have legs and arms like you…evolution, you know, we assimilated to a life under water over time, but our arms and legs always remind us that we didn´t originate from a world under water." Shereen stopped the shuttle on the roof of a nearly undamaged building and secured it to the surface. "Here we are, that´s the building she´s living in, but it´s not that easy to get inside. We have to swim. Like I said, I´m assimilated to a life under water, but you aren't. So we have to wait until your bodies were accommodated to the pressure down here. I´ll give you a drug that sped up the process and slow down your metabolism." Shereen gave each of them a small pill and both took it. Then she hit a few buttons and Xev felt a sudden change. "Be patient, it will take a while." "This is the place where the prophetess lives?" Kai asked. "Yes, we didn´t know why she chose this place, but I think so far no one ever had posed this question at her." Shereen replied. Kai nodded and looked out the window to watch the ruins in the pale light of the ships spotlight in silence. Xev leaned back in her seat and relaxed a bit. She felt the difference between every pressure rising and tried to stay calm. To be trapped in a small shuttle was difficult for her, because it always reminded her to the box she grew up in. The rising pressure fortified this feeling additionally. Finally, after half an hour, Shereen gave them two small devices. They were black and felt somehow organic. Xev turned them around in her hand. "What´s that?" she wanted to know. Shereen smiled and demonstrated the use of them. "Just put them into your mouth. Be sure only to breath through your mouth when we´re outside. This device will assure your oxygen-supply." "Oh," said Xev. Then Shereen gave them some clothes and some glasses. "Here, change your clothes. It´s very cold in the water, you´ll need them, the glasses are for the sight, otherwise you would have trouble to see something outside," "There´s really no other way to get in?" Xev asked. Shereen shook her head. "No. There never was the need for another way to get to her, because we Sha´ran all can live under water, and so far no one else except the Sha´ran visited her before. I think you´re the first non-Sha´ran to visit her." Shereen slipped out her dress she had worn the evening and put her suit on without caring about her nudity. Xev shrugged her shoulders and did the same, as well as Kai. "I´ll wait for you outside." She opened an airlock on the bottom of the shuttle. "The barrier, which holds the water back, isn´t harmful for us, so just jump through it." Shereen made a step forward and jumped through the hole into the darkness. At once she assimilated to the environment she was born in. Her organism slowed down, slowly she swallowed the water and her lungs stopped working in the normal way. Her different biology allowed her to extract the oxygen contained in water and so to "breath" under water. Another thing that changed immediately, were her eyes. The former silver glinting eyes changed their color into deep black and she was able to spot her environment as clearly as on the planets surface. The silvery color was only a protection for the flashy sunlight.

Some seconds later, they saw the spotlight from the ship and saw Shereen waiting in front of the ship, Xev and Kai followed her. Xev needed a few minutes to get used to everything, the breathing and the cold water, of course, the swim-suit was really good and she felt her whole body warming up soon, but the darkness around her was very intense, and this scared her a little. She was happy for the steady ground under her feet, and the light in front of the ship. It would guide their way for a few meters. Shereen had a small torch in her hand that additionally lit a small area around them up. Wherever the light beam hit the water, the creatures of the sea fled. Shereen pointed forward and gestured them to follow her. As curious as Xev always was, this time she stayed close to Kai, she really didn´t want to know what else besides them was in that depth. She felt Kais hand on her arm and his inquiring gaze, which asked her if everything was all right. She nodded and touched his hand gently. Then they parted and followed Shereen by swimming along the roof of the building. On the edge, Shereen waited and pointed downwards, it was pitch black there and Xev knew why Shereen had the torch brought with, then they started to swim downwards. Xev looked interested around wherever the light of the torch hit the building. The building was very high, must have been very beautiful once, because she spotted some architectural remains on the outside. Unlike the other buildings around, which all looked like skeletons, because of the missing windows, this one was in a really good condition. It hadn´t very much windows for its size, but wherever she could see some, she didn´t spot a broken one.

When they nearly touched the ground, Shereen stopped in front of an opening. It once must have been a door, now it was only an open gap, possibly the door once was made out of material that hadn´t last the millennia's. They entered a huge hall, which was, besides all the water, completely undamaged. The floor and walls were made of marble, the ceiling was decorated with very colorful paintings. The furniture, which once may have been here was long gone, but a huge chandelier still hung from the ceiling. Shereen pointed to the ceiling and another opening. Down here, Xev could see many damaged walls and maybe entries to other rooms of this old building, but the one above seemed to be the one of interest. Shereen swam ahead and slipped through the gap. Above, a surprise awaited them. When Xev had swum through it, she suddenly stood in another room, and the water only was knee-high. Shereen wrung her hair and smiled at them. "Welcome inside…" Kai was as well as surprised as Xev. Shereen switched her torch off, because there was enough light coming from some chandeliers at the ceiling to see the room. The room wasn´t as big as the one under them, but it was also decorated with colorful paintings and precious materials, stone, wood and metal. Different to the room they entered first, she saw that several various furniture were still in its place, as if they were left not long ago. "You can breath normal here, there is enough oxygen…" Shereen said, her eyes going back to normal again. "How is that possible?" asked Kai and put the device out of his mouth. Shereen shrugged her shoulders. "We assume that somewhere here must be a generator, as you see we have light too, if you listen carefully you can hear a low humming. But we never found one. Some of our archaeologists guess that it must be located underground. But for us it isn´t that important. It works, we have oxygen and light, that´s all we need for any visit here. Maybe it is the prophetess herself that assures these support." Shereen pointed to an intact door in front of them and looked at Kai. "Now, last of the BrunnenG – that´s the way you have to go!" Kai nodded, and after a last look at Xev he followed Shereens outstretched arm. Xev immediately wanted to follow him, but Shereen held her back. "No, Xev, we have to wait here, she had called him, no one else!" Xev sighed and stayed behind. "Don´t worry, the prophetess is only a prophetess, nothing will happen to him…!" Shereen calmed her when she saw her anxious gaze. "It´s more the fear about what he might learn there." Xev replied with furrowed brows. "It´s normal to be afraid about such things, I have been afraid too when I visited her. Well, she isn´t called the prophetess of fate for nothing. I believe that she had a lot of influence to one´s life, but I think that´s why she is here for." "Sometimes I ask myself if it shouldn´t be our own decisions that determine our future…too many times fate was predetermined in Kai´s life, and he never had the chance to change that…" "Are you sure?" Shereen asked. Xev climbed up a few steps to get out of the water and sat down on a couch, looking back at her. "The TimeProphet had told him that his people would die, that he would be the last of them to die, and that he will be the one who will destroy the Divine Order and His Shadow. That´s very clearly foretold in my opinion." "Maybe, yes, but the TimeProphet looked into the circles of time, she only told him what had happened and would happen over and over again, if time really flows in a circle, and I´m yet not sure if the circle can´t be broken, then there is really no chance to change it. At least, she hadn´t told him that he would become alive again some day…" Shereen sat down next to her. "I´m sure he didn´t expect that he had to exist 2000 years as an assassin of the Divine Order before he could fulfill the prophecy…that´s what I don´t like on prophets, they never tell you the whole thing!" Xev said. Shereen smiled: "I know. I´m sometimes your opinion, I don´t know if it is good to know too much of things that might happen someday. It´s the same that happened to me, when I visited her, I was told that in difficult and dangerous times I would be the leader of the Arcannea. That in this uncertain time it´s important to have a good and steady leader…well, I was a bit surprised, but that´s what was said. This was 55 years ago, since 40 years I´m president of the Arcannean Alliance and I expected to happen those "difficult" times soon, but for 20 years nothing happened…and of course I told them what would happen someday from the beginning…but you know how people are." Shereen sighed before she continued. "No one really believed that the mighty Arcannean Alliance one time could be in trouble. It´s a heavy burden you have to carry when you know exactly that this will happen and no one believes you. And when Kai told me his story I was reminded to those years. We did nearly the same fault, and for that I´m happy that we still were alive, despite all those circumstances." Xev shook her head: "Sounded really similar." "Yes, never put an oracle into question. She told me some more things I´m constantly thinking about, because I hope to see some clues to get out of our miserable situation. The prophetess of fate never tells you what exactly would happen, she always circumscribe things and also she only gave indices about what you could do…you always have the choice to do the right or the wrong thing. That´s were fate really comes into play. She didn´t foretell your life…life is what you made out of it…by listening to her advises…or not. You only have to listen carefully at them during your whole life because you won´t understand everything she tells you from the beginning…or you simply forget…only to remember in time. So she had told me an oracle I couldn´t remember until we met. There is a connection between everything that happened the past days, a connection between your arrival and our situation – otherwise I think our Alliance would have been broken up years ago." Shereen said. Xev asked her curiously: "And what do you think is the link between us?" "Maybe I know now what she meant with the oracle she told me: If your hope is almost gone – the last of the lost ones will return and new hope will be born ." Shereen said and looked at the now closed door. "The BrunnenG always had been the lost ones in our history, and Kai is the last of them. If that´s what she meant, I´m full of hope that we can manage this war." Xev looked up in surprise: "She really told you that?" Shereen nodded. "Well, that´s strange indeed. Now he has to visit her… and believe me… I´m _very_ curious where this thing will go!" But Xev was still uneasy about it… even if Shereen told her that with these prophesies someone had at least some choice…what if they choose the wrong one? What if Kai has to make a choice that would end up with … she couldn´t end that thought. TimeProphet or prophetess of fate, she really saw no difference in it. The only wonderful fateful thing that happened to them was Kai´s return into a living state. But even this had its price. Couldn´t be fate show any mercy to him? she asked in silence. She had seen the pain in his eyes when he had looked at her before he turned to enter the next room. And this hurt her too. "Let us calm down, Xev, it makes no sense to think about what she might tell or not. Let´s just wait!" Shereen said and touched her shoulder gently. Xev nodded and smiled a bit. "You´re right…"

Before Kai entered the room, a new wave of deja vu overwhelmed him. The last fateful visit to the TimeProphet was still strong present in his mind. Then he slowly opened the door and entered a room, which was bathed in a soft blue color. The door behind him closed automatically and he saw someone sitting on the edge of a fountain in the middle of the room.

"Hello Kai! Welcome. Tell me, how is my sister?" she greeted him with a melodious soft voice. Kai stopped irritated: "Sister?" he asked. "You thought about her before you entered…" the prophetess said smiling. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and nodded: "TheTimeProphet!"

"Yes…you met her before…!" The voice was very close now and he opened his eyes again.

He was suddenly mere meters away from the entrance, instead he found himself next to the prophetess and the fountain. The woman appeared to be far younger than the TimeProphet. She was dressed in a shiny yellow dress and wore her long black hair open. Her eyes shimmered like jewels and they had something timeless. Kai blinked, he knew exactly that he hadn´t moved a bit, so it must have been her who had dragged him somehow next to her. Kai felt some anger stirring up…he didn´t like to be moved around against his will, like an object…this was done to him long enough.

So his next question wasn´t all too friendly: "You wanted me to come here…why? I´ve heard that no non-Sha´ran had ever visited you."

If she detected his undertone, she dissembled. She played with the water inside the basin and gazed at him with her jewel eyes. "Answering your second question: I´m living very isolated her, but that´s how it is, it´s another story, not of importance, and to your first question: I wanted you to be here, yes, even if I´m sure that fate would have brought you here too, sooner or later, that´s only a matter of time. And I also know that prophecies and fate isn´t a thing you´re very bent on!" Her voice got softer. Kai answered: "Once a prophecy changed my life…my fate, it destroyed everything I once knew, my people, my world, my love…my life. I´m indeed not interested in any new prophecies," he said harsh and bitter.

"I know. But a prophecy needn´t change your life in a bad way…you ever thought about that?"

The prophetess stopped playing with the water and suddenly the environment changed again. Now they sat on some blue colored pillows, and the color of the room changed into a soft orange.

Kai looked at her skeptically: "Was there any way to make a different decision at that time?"

"No, the cycle of time is unchangeable, you never had a real choice…and even if, the thought to stay on Brunnis and die like the rest of your people that´s very unlike you." The prophetess looked thoughtful at him. "Shereen told me that you make prophecies, similar to the Time Prophet, are you…?" "…like my sister?" she interrupted him. "No…," she giggled, "If you want to know if I am able to look into the cycles of time I have to negate this…what I tell are not real prophecies in this sense. I have the gift to recognize peoples´ fate, and if they listen to me, I am able to give them advise and help…and then, if they act wise, then things will happen in the way I predict them," she explained. "And where is the difference? You have _told _them their future then…they know what awaits them…!" Kai meant. The prophetess shook her head slightly: "The things I see are not certain. They´re only possibilities…that´s important! In the end it´s upon you to decide your own fate by acting the right way…!" "Really…" Kai´s comment was a bit sarcastic. He was anything but convinced of her explanation. "So it was my own acting that forced me into the situation to fight against His Shadow…what resulted with my death, what in turn lead to my _rebirth_ as a soulless machine and with it the killing of people for 2000 years, and after this stage I have had to wander the universe as an undead for much longer. If fate really asks you, why hasn´t it asked me if it´s okay to regain life...burdened with all the guilt of 2000 years of remorseless killing..." Kai stopped for a brief moment, " Sorry that I doubt that _we_ have free will to choose our fate, or that fate does what _we_ want…!" The prophetess tilted her head:

"I doubt that it´s in your and Xev´s interest what _you_ really want." "Maybe in mine...!" Kai answered coldly and very directly. He was upset. "You never have been an egoist, Kai, you´ve always put the welfare of other people above your own..." "My people could tell you a different story if they were still alive...," "But we know both that they were beyond any reasonable thinking, Kai, _this_ part of your fate is and always was unchangeable. The cycle of time is unchangeable." A moment of silence arose and Kai calmed down a bit, he tried to think about her words. Well, he wasn´t a selfish person. Neither in his first life nor now…he tried to manage his new life, more for Xev than for himself. "If this part of my fate, my life, has been unchangeable, what about now? You called me, you told me to come here, you already knew that I would do as you say,…so, what do you want from me?" he asked. The woman smiled again and said:

"Decades ago I made a real prophecy Kai, to Shereen, it was the very first real prophecy I made since I lived here. What I saw in her fate was very important, so important that I recognized that it wasn´t a simple foreseeing where advise is enough. I prophesied that the Arcannea will be in much trouble and a superior new Empire threatens their Alliance. But I also could give them hope…I saw that someone will come and help them." Kai looked astonished at her. "You think that´s us?" "You, yes. I saw you in association with this situation…and I also learned about your past in that way, I already knew your past, but that´s not important at the moment…!" she said and Kai noticed that it wasn´t all true about the importance, she concealed something.

"And where does our influence here lead to? Is it good or bad for the situation?" he asked. The prophetess sighed: "I don´t know, that´s not revealed…but I am sure that this prophecy is very important, it never happened before, it´s not usual that the things I see interfere…" she stopped suddenly and again Kai felt this strange certainty that she knew much more than she wanted to tell…the reason why she didn´t, wasn´t obvious to him. "If you don´t know what happens, what our, what my presence here has for a purpose, then why am I here? Shereen could have told me about the prophecy as well as you…!" Kai said and bent forward.

A brief silence arose. "I am in a difficult situation Kai. I cannot explain and reveal too much, the stakes are high…it´s to early to explain everything now…" she paused a moment, "But there´s still something I can tell you, and now, please listen to me Kai, it´s very important:

You will soon be in a situation where you have to make an important decision…it won´t be a pleasant situation, but therefore it´s so important that you remember our meeting here and what was said…you have to choose the _right_ decision. There is so much depending on it…!" Kai sighed: "Again…" The prophetess ignored his interruption: "Kai, when you´ll meet your worst enemy, who could also be your best friend...then time is near to make that decision. You will know which one, even if it´s hard for you to. Then, and only then, this universe and the people in it will have a new chance to prevent any harm…and they will not end like the LightZone had ended." She stretched her arm out and put her forefinger on his forehead. She murmured something and Kai winced when the fierce mental power of the prophetess hit him. He noticed a flood of pictures streaming into his mind…chaotic and disordered, but he guessed what her intension was. "I already told you that I know your fate, and maybe I am able to help you at least a bit in this way. Forgive me that I cannot do more at the moment, but the day is not far when you will realize everything. And now go back to your friends…!"

She put out her hand and Kai touched it. Suddenly he appeared next to the entrance and the room was colored again in this soft blue shimmer, but besides that, this time the room was empty. Kai turned slowly and left the room, returned to Shereen and Xev.

Of course, both women waited nervously for him, because the meeting took over three hours already. Something very unusual, how Shereen said. Xev was at his side at once, when he finally walked through the door. "Kai! I´m glad you´re back!" she said and looked curiously at him. Kai stopped and stroked gently over her hair: "Give me some time, Xev. I have to think about everything I´ve learned," he said in a low voice. Shereen didn´t ask any question. She knew very well how confusing a meeting with the prophetess could be. She remembered that she needed a lot of days to clear up her mind again. "I suggest we return to the shuttle. The effect of the pills I gave you will only last for one hour at best. I really didn´t expect that it would take so long…" "What will happen to us if the effect looses?" Xev asked. Shereen smiled bittersweet: "I think you really didn´t want to know _that_…!" Kai raised his brows but said nothing. "Let´s go-ho..!" Xev pushed and put the glasses back over her eyes and the breathing apparatus back into her mouth. Shereen wade back to the hole and jumped forward down again. Xev and a very reflective Kai followed.

Their way back proceeded in near silence. Kai didn´t speak any word during their assimilation back to normal pressure and the whole journey to Dreema. Back in Shereens domicile, when they changed their clothes again, Xev asked him: "What can we do now? I mean, how can we be helpful?" Kai looked at her: "I don´t know. Maybe we should wait what Stan´s and Shore´s opinion is, if it is possible to transfer the technology of the Lexx to their ships in time. I fear, that in the near future the Pr´karesh will attack again, and then it´s useful to know that the new strategy works." "Will they attack again?" she asked. "Of course they will. They think they´re superior and that someday the Alliance will break up. They will double their efforts to bring the Arcannean down. Besides that…" Kai stopped a moment when some fuzzy pictures rushed through his mind. He saw explosions and people dying. In some familiar place, but he couldn´t detect where. "What?" asked Xev. "I´m almost sure that we have to expect attacks from them soon. I can´t tell when, where or how, everything I know is that it will happen. The prophetess transferred some pictures into my mind, and when I´m concentrating I´m able to take a closer look at them, but can´t see them still very clearly. I assume that it is too early." "Shereen told me that everything the prophetess tells comes back into your mind when you need it… and of course, if you listen to it." Kai nodded. "That´s true. We have to find out what we can do to prevent any possible new threat to the Arcannea. Maybe the information I got from the prophetess will help us, if I´m able to encrypt it." Xev smiled and leaned forward to close the zipper on the backside of his jacket. "You will, I think there is a reason why you were chosen for that." Kai looked a bit grimly when she said that. "I don´t like to be chosen for anything anymore…every time it ended up with death and destruction, especially for those I love!" He turned away from her and tried to suppress the bitterness that showed up again. Xev caught his hand and stopped the movement by pulling him firmly to her body. She held him merciless fierce in her arms and whispered: "Is it that what you´re afraid of? That I could maybe die? That Stan could die? That the Arcannea could be extinguished like your own people once had been extinguished?" Kai couldn´t free himself of her embrace and gave up. Almost desperate he said: "Yes, I am. What would you do in my position Xev? With all the things that happened in my past it´s not really a surprise, isn´t it?" Xev shook her head slowly: "You needn´t be concerned about me…" Kai interrupted her: "I´m asking myself what I should do if the pictures show me anyhow something I can´t deal with, something I maybe can´t change…such as something happening to you. Too many people have lost their lives because of me…I can´t deal with that any longer, Xev. So you maybe can understand that I am afraid of loosing someone I love again. I always have and I always will." In complete surprise Xev loosened her grip and Kai stormed off the room. "Kai, what do you mean by you _always_ _have been _afraid of loosing me?" Xev yelled after him. This sudden confession surprised her more than everything else he had said since he was alive again. Had he really been afraid of loosing her all the time? Even when he was dead and without any emotion? Well, he always had told them that he had none…. she now wasn´t so sure that this had been the complete truth. Maybe he hadn´t felt the emotion, but she was sure that he in some strange way cared for her, for Stan, so why couldn´t there be some sort of fear to fail in protecting them? But hadn´t he said that he had been afraid of _loosing her_? This of course gave the whole thing a different meaning. There was a clear difference between the fear of failing in protecting someone or the fear to _loose_ someone close. Xev followed him through the door back into the living room, where they had eaten some hours ago. Shereen was nowhere to be seen. Kai stood somewhere in the room and watched the rich sea life outside. "Kai?" she asked carefully. He didn´t react. Xev closed the distance between them and asked again. "Kai….what do you mean by I have always been afraid of loosing you ?" Kai´s gaze dropped to the floor when he answered: "I…I´m not sure, I often think of the time when I was dead, that´s not very easy, because it is like to remember some of the memories of those killed by His Shadow. And one of those things I remember very clearly is that there was more than a simple affinity towards you, Xev. It was a special kind of affinity, now I know that, because I can _feel_ it." Xev lifted her hand and stroke gently over his cheek. "You said you was _afraid_ of loosing me. That´s a sensation Kai." The BrunnenG raised his head and looked into her beautiful eyes. "I know. But I don´t have any better word to subscribe what was sometimes going on inside me when you put yourself in such silly situations. I couldn´t feel fear, Xev, but I remembered this sensation. And like with all strong sensations I ever experienced in my first life…I was able to think of them whenever there was a situation a living human being might felt them." He took her face between his hands and pulled her slowly closer. Xev closed her eyes and enjoyed his closeness very much. "Even love?" she asked whispering against his lips. Kai answered: "Sometimes, yes." Xev melted completely, this was something she really hadn´t expected. With an almost trembling voice, she said, deeply moved: "I love you Kai, and I´m happy for our affinity!" They couldn´t resist any longer and shared a long passionate kiss.

They parted when they heard Shereen cough behind them. "Excuse me, I don´t want to disturb you, but I have to return to the council hall…!" She said with furrowed brows. "We have some problems with our evacuation procedure. And some Pr´karesh ships seem to attack the transports we have organized to bring our colonists back to the core planets of our Alliance." "That´s not good…" Xev said worried. Shereen nodded. "You see, the sooner we get protection against their fire power the better. It would save many lives." "Then I suggest we return to the Lexx to help Stan and Dr. Shore´ with the work. I possess some technical knowledge and may be of some use there." Kai said. "That would be fine. Te´ran will return in a few minutes and take you back to the Lexx. And of course, you can use the guest quarters on Arcan´s as long as you want. I´m sorry that I have to leave you alone…" Shereen retreated and left the room. "They´re in real trouble, aren't they?" Xev asked sighing. Kai nodded. "Yes." "Did the prophetess say something about this conflict?" Xev asked suddenly. Kai looked out the window again. "Yes. But I have to think about everything, Xev. I can´t tell you anything right now. Be a little patient. There were more hints and advices than clear suggestions how to solve their problem." "Ok, I´ll try to be patient," she said.

"Kai, Xev?" They suddenly heard Te´rans voice. "Here you are. My wife told me to take you back to the Lexx…is that correct?" "It is…" Kai said. "Ok, then let´s go…I think I should change my job…doing shuttle service all the day now," Te´ran grinned and started to walk back to the airlock, where he had parked the shuttle. "I´m very curious to see the Lexx a little bit closer, tell me, is it possible to visit it?" Xev smiled: "Why not? I´d like to show you around a bit, if Stan don´t mind, of course, he´s the captain." Te´ran radiated back: "That would be wonderful. I´ve read a lot about the old insect ships, but of course, never seen such one…!" "The Lexx is different to those ships, " Kai interjected, "It also consists of mechanical parts, and it is intelligent…kind of. Our moths are more comparable to the ancient insect crafts our ancestors flew." Te´ran opened the door to the shuttle and let them enter. "Well, time moved on since those days…and I always wondered why we never developed ships with artificial intelligence, at least our ships are some sort of alive too, they´re biomechanical/biochemical ships, you saw the material we use for various of objects? They had a lot of useful characteristics…self-healing, the material can adapt to its environment immediately and so on…our engines depend on biotechnology too, but we never thought of systems with a mind of its own." Te´ran explained them. Xev touched the surface of the shuttle and nodded. She found the material interesting from the beginning. She took a seat next to Kai and asked: "I´ve seen very few of this material in daily use on Arcan´s, even here on Sha´ra I saw it not often, is there a reason for it?" "Not really. But the use in space is much easier. We grow the material there and don´t have to transport it into space first, that´s an advantage. And the conditions in space are much better, no germs, no environmental effects. On the planets we still use raw materials of different kind. That depends of course which ones are available. But there´s no main reason. It´s just that simple." Te´ran started the engines and maneuvered the small ship back into the endless ocean and from there back into the Sha´ran sky.

It took them only half an hour to meet with the Lexx, which was orbiting the station far closer now, so that the support of material and technicians of Shore´s team could take place without much time delay. When they land on the bridge with the shuttle, they spotted a slight chaos. "Wow, what´s happening here?" asked Xev and looked around surprised. Some technicians had brought some equipment and now a lot of it was spread all over the bridge. Stan discovered them and waved: "Hey, welcome back, didn't expect you so soon." "Very busy…!" She said dryly. Stan grinned: "Yes, Lexx isn´t used to that, I had to calm him down a bit." "I quite believe it. I´ll show Te´ran around a bit if you don´t mind. Kai mentioned that he wanted to help you with some technical parts, if you need his assistance…!" "Oh, just show him around, that´s okay. But where _is_ Kai?" Stan looked over Xev´s shoulder. Xev turned around and knitted her brows in surprise. "Oh…he just had been here…!" "Are you looking for Kai?" Te´ran asked and came closer, he looked around curiously. "Yes..." "He went off into that direction," Te´ran pointed at the left entrance of the bridge. Stan looked inquiring at Xev. "I think he wants to be alone for a while, we visited someone on Sha´ra, she´s called the prophetess of the Deep Sea. I believe her to be something similar like the TimeProphet. Kai had dreamt about her and we learned from Shereen that this woman really exists. So we went down to her. We stayed there for nearly three hours, and I think he had learned some very important things…!" Xev explained him shortly. "Eh, what things?" Stan asked. "I don´t know, he doesn´t know. Time will reveal it, he said. The only thing I know is that it must have to do something with the conflict and, well, I think with his person…maybe another prophecy." Xev sighed. "Oh boy, not another one," Stan looked a bit worried. "I can understand why he wants to be alone, two prophesies in a single lifetime – that´s too much." "I´ll look for him later and tell him to help you, okay?" she suggested. "Alright, so far I have to do some things…fortunately 790 is very cooperative this time," Stan said smiling. "How comes that?" Xev asked surprised. "Oh, I just threatened him with reprogramming…this time I swore that he would be activated by me!" Xev started to giggle: "That´s good, captain, very groundbreaking, really. Fortunately he didn´t agree." "That´s right," Stan said with a fading smile when he thought about 790 drooling over him. Xev patted his shoulder and left the bridge with Te´ran.


	17. Bad feelings and apprehensions

Chapter 16

Bad feelings and apprehensions

Kai had used the opportunity to vanish somewhere deep inside the Lexx´s many corridors and rooms. He needed some time to think. He entered a small chamber he had visited several times before, when he just got his life back and needed also many time to be alone. Kai sat down on one of the stool-shaped fleshy forms and leaned back to the wall. He had a headache. The pictures the prophetess had transferred to him showed up again and again, more often now. The first unintentional flood of pictures had hit him on Sha´ra, short after the visit, and now, since they arrived on the Lexx there was suddenly a constant flow of them, as if they want to show him something. But he couldn´t recognize anything, because everything was like a movie in its fast-forward mode and a Kaboo-intoxication at the same time. It was very uncomfortable and he knew that he had to slow them down. He put his hand on his forehead and tried to concentrate, ignored the headache.

First there was only this chaotic mess of prophetical pictures, but then he spotted some clear fragments.

Again those explosions, ships in a space battle, the Lexx firing at something, then everything really slowed down…he saw the Arcannea station and suddenly he zoomed into the station, raced along the corridors until he reached a certain place. Kai noticed that it was a hangar, similar to the one they had landed on before.

Strange sensations hit him there, fear, desperation, death…then he saw the shadow of a man drawing closer to someone near the wall, it was Xev, huddled there, her eyes filled with pain and slight fear…she seemed to call his name and hissed at the man in front of her, then he saw something glistering in the man's hand…. Kai wanted to scream, to call the man's attention…but of course, there was no reaction - he wasn´t there, he only saw pictures, Xev or the man threatening her would never hear him. Instead he zoomed closer again, as if he wanted to run towards her, then, suddenly, everything went dark and the next thing he saw were stars, he was back in space again and the Arcannea station lay in front of him. A wonderful picture, but the peaceful picture quickly faded - an explosion quaked the station. Kai gasped and fell nearly forward…after a moment his eyes snapped opened and he was back in reality. Disturbed he tried to understand what he had seen.

The whirling images were very confusing, but he doubted that they meant anything different than they had shown. The Arcannea station _was_ in danger, and something _would_ happen - when he and Xev were also there.

The pictures of Xev huddled against the wall didn´t leave his mind. He felt fear creeping into his heart, would she be hurt, or in the end die? The situation was scary enough. In fact he didn´t know if the situation would ever become reality. The prophetess had only offered him the pictures as guidance, he had to find out on his own if they were the real future or a possible one…he guessed that everything would depend on those few decisions – including the important one. Kai decided to keep an eye on Xev, when they really visit the station for the next time. He always had protected her and he would never admit something happen to her…even if he was alive and much more vulnerable now.

Alive and vulnerable.

He hadn´t thought about any situation where this could be a disadvantage so far. There was no need for it. But maybe in the near future he had to fight against other people, and likely had to kill again.

Kai shuddered. Wasn´t the decision he had declared decided too hastily? Hadn´t he killed enough? Could he hurt another one when he was forced to do it? He didn´t know, maybe, maybe not. He let hung his head. Could a possible inability to fight be the reason for the foreseen situation, for Xev´s situation? Kai started to groan…no, this was something he didn´t want to think of, whatever happened, this mustn't happen…never!

Coldness clasped his heart when he thought about the logical and only consequence how he might be able to prevent it!

A grim, desperate smile appeared on his face…oh yes, there it was again…the thing that was with him since he had left his home to fight – death. Death dictated his existence since 6000 years now…after death had come to him, he had brought it to thousands, again and again. His innermost was set on fire again. Would it ever end? Had fate created another game to strengthen the endless hell he was living in? It was hard to believe anything different. The prophetess had arisen new hope in him that it'll end someday…but it seemed that there was again a price to pay for that. He never had killed while being alive…it was the only thing left to him…should that be the price to pay now? Should that be the decision he had to settle? No…not the important decision the prophetess had meant. He didn´t know why, but somehow he felt that there had to be a bigger thing, the importance was too minor.

Too minor, a rough laugh escaped his lips, for everyone else maybe…

Another part of him was more resolute: he couldn´t let Xev die…only because he wasn´t able to stop any possible threat for her life. The prophetess was right…he wasn´t that selfish. What was the difference, he already had the devil inside…even if there was a tiny bit of innocence left – the fact that he never had killed when alive. But somehow Kai knew that he was ready to sacrifice the tiny little thing that was left of this innocence – for Xev, and the way he had to go after that decision. He hadn´t seen any pictures laying behind those events…they hadn´t revealed yet, because the end was uncertain. The only thing he could do was to listen to his inner voice – and rely on it, hopefully it would show him the right way. Maybe another possibility than to kill again, but his hope only was very vaguely.

Fate – he really began to hate this word. He found himself doing to wish he was dead again – the dead at least weren´t able to feel all this uncertainty and sensations coming with this situation he was in now. It was surely far easier to rely on logical and calculated decisions than to listen to inner voices and decisions made upon vaguely sensed sensations.

Kai shook his head, no, there was hardly less confusion in his mind after he had thought about all those issues, but to wish to be dead wasn´t a solution at all. He couldn´t hide from his new sensations, they would forever be a part of him now…he had to cope with them – in every situation.

He stretched out his right arm and looked at it. He bent his wrist, as if to shoot with the brace that once had been there. If he still had …but no, he banned the thought of having such a weapon.

It somehow comforted him that he hadn´t the brace any longer. Too much pain and death was bound to it.

Kai let his arm fall back and thought about all the other things that were necessary to defend himself or another one: physical strength, cleverness, what was left of it after he got alive again? He didn´t know. He knew that Xev could beat him in an instant, the clusterlizard gave her this strength, and he now was only a normal human. He surely had more strength than Stanley, but could he cope with other men?

Kai tried to remember how it had been when alive…of course there had been some training and the one or other physical quarreling with other newborn or even older members of his people, and he remembered that he hadn´t been someone who evaded those incidents…fortunately he won most of those. A faint smile appeared on his face, his parents weren´t amused about such things, but he never wanted to be everybody's darling…he had have his own conceivability of wrong and right. He had never evaded arguments when it was against his agenda, or the agenda of his friends. Something the BrunnenG couldn´t deal with very well. But the newborns weren´t cut from the same cloth than the old BrunnenG…and somehow they tried to show that.

And the superhuman strength after he became an assassin? With the transformation back he had lost it, of course, but he also remembered that strength wasn´t the only thing how to win a fight.

His brain had been altered to develop strategies and counterstrategies in only few seconds and minutes… everything he had needed to hunt his victims down. Kai asked himself hesitantly if there was anything left of it inside the depths of his mind. He never had tried to find those remains…Xev had told him that she hadn´t removed the chip implant with all the stuff it was programmed with, because she couldn´t risk to damage his brain irreversible. Since the connection to all those other implants he once possessed was cut, it was useless…well, almost. The information was still there, _every _information ever transferred to it. The chip also had his divine assassin programming, but since he got alive and for that hadn´t any other mechanical parts it was useless and stayed inactive, as well as the programming for his "special" assassination training program. He couldn´t access this region any longer, and he somewhat wasn´t unhappy about that.

He had to trust his and all those other memories he possessed to manage possible situations involving violence. There was no other way. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed, until there was no such situation he wouldn´t find out if it would work, but what had he to lose? Xev maybe, if he wasn´t well prepared. I will be… he said firmly and with new determination, I won´t let anything happen to her…, he wasn´t sure how, but who knows, somewhere must be the solution for that. And now stop hiding here, they need you to do something useful… Kai reprehend himself. He pushed all the unpleasant thoughts back, and rose from the seat to leave the chamber, he needed some distraction - and something to do - or he would get mad by thinking about all those issues and things that could happen.

Kai returned to the bridge and asked the happily whistling Stanley for something to do. "Hey, there you are, Xev asked for you nearly an hour ago…everything alright?" The Captain of the Lexx wanted to know. Stan was about to climb into the moth to get to Lexx´s main control systems or his cortical knot somewhere above the bridge, an unhappy looking 790 in his arms. "I´m alright, Stan, thanks, I just needed some time to think…!" "Oh, Xev told me, about this prophetess, right?" Kai nodded. "So, what do you think? I mean, sounds strangely for another prophecy…" Kai shrugged his shoulders slightly: "Maybe, yes, but I don´t want to … talk about it now, Stan. There are other things to do." Stan looked a bit suspicious at Kai. He was sure that the tall man had to hide something, he could see worry in his eyes, and this alerted him a bit. But he also knew that there was no way to force the BrunnenG to tell him something, more than ever if he hadn´t told Xev, so he gave in and handed 790 over to Kai. "If you don´t mind…can you please attach 790 directly to Lexx´s main control systems to extract some data of his protection systems, better said we need some data about Lexx´s outer hull composition?" Kai nodded and took 790. Stanley still smiled, even though he hadn´t got the information he was eager to get, this was unusual enough, so Kai turned around before he left and asked suddenly: "Did you meet Yareena?" Immediately Stan´s smile grew much bigger, he had hit the mark. "Yes, but there was only few time…but better than nothing. She´s really a great person." Kai smiled back a little and looked down in his usual manner: "I´m happy for you Stan…!" Than the BrunnenG left. He was really happy that Stanley had also found some luck in his thitherto not very lucky life. All those circumstances last time were working wonders on them. First he got alive, this caused immense happiness for Xev, then Stan fell in love on Arcan´s. Yes, he was really glad that both now had something that made them happy. Maybe the prophetess was right and fate wasn´t always that bad…

Kai hadn´t any problems to connect 790 to Lexx´s systems and the stoically quiet robot head collected the data needed. Kai enjoyed the silence and the constant humming here above, it had something ruminant, and he could concentrate on his work even better. No disturbing thoughts troubled him now. First the chirping sound of another moth let him look up. It was Xev, and she was alone. He guessed that Te´ran had to leave sooner than he wanted.

790 of course noticed her appearance at once. He switched back into the normal operation modus and greeted her cheerful. "Oh my love-muffin is back, I…!" "Not now 790, later…please," she said and silenced him with a strict glance. "Och….!" The robot head went disappointed back to work.

"Hey," she greeted Kai softly, "Stan told me you´re here." Kai stopped connecting some wires and smiled slightly. "Where´s Te´ran?" he asked. "He had to leave, some troubles with the reinforcement of the evacuation ships, he´s on the station now!" Xev explained and looked over the wires connected to 790. Kai nodded and looked thoughtfully at her. "Everything okay?" she asked. "Yes, I just…needed some time alone," he dropped his gaze again, so Xev couldn´t see the spark of worry creeping into his eyes again. "I think I made another human experience,…" he said instead. Xev raised one brow: "Really?" Kai sighed: "It can make you mad to think about things which may can happen." Xev leaned against the wall, crossed her arms and looked at him. "What?" he asked when he noticed her gaze. "You thought about things which may can happen? What things?" Was there some reproach in her voice? Kai put his tools aside. The relaxing moment was over, he couldn´t ignore the coming back of these strange sensations he had have two hours ago any longer, when he looked into her face.

As if something would happen soon, a kind of apprehension. Well, he had all reason for this apprehension. The horrible vision with Xev being threatened returned nearly at full force and he had to steady himself. "Kai?" Xev asked worried. "It´s nothing," he repelled. "I can see that," her sarcastic voice brought him back into reality. "There is something you didn´t want to tell me, I can feel that, Kai." Again she tried to get something out of him, but he stayed silent. "I cannot, because there is no certainty for it…!" Kai said. There was no certainty in life, there were always miscellaneous possibilities…and suddenly he saw the same pictures again running through his mind…but they were slightly different. He was about to curse, because this moment couldn´t be most improper…but what chance does he have to fight it?

He was back in that hangar, it was dark and there was a fight. In fast flashes he saw how someone sent him to the ground and from there he saw her…

Xev´s numb body laid next to the wall, the other man, the same he had seen in his first vision, bent down to her with a now bloody knife in his fist. He wasn´t sure if he had heard his own screams or Xevs´, but they went lower and lower until awful silence fell. He couldn´t do anything…, it was if he was frozen, then everything went dark again, the vision faded abruptly and he "woke up", leaning against the wall.

He felt someone clasping his arm and slowly breathed in. She was here, she was alive and what he had seen was only a vision… " Kai, what the heck is up?" Kai opened his eyes and realized that he had shed some tears…The visions were worrying him more and more now, this time they had shown him the unacceptable more clearly. Kai closed his eyes again. No, no, no, not her he inwardly called out. When he opened his eyes again, tears of rage and sadness blurred his sight and he looked away from her.

The prophetess had told him that people shouldn´t know too much about their future, now he could understand why…and it made no difference if this only was a possible future. He had seen what _could_ happen, and this scared him. He could deal with his own death, but not with Xev´s, this was too much.

Grimly his hands balled into fists, somewhere deep inside he felt that the visions, real or not, a possible future or not, seem to have only one purpose – to convince him of the necessity to fight, to kill, to protect. His tortured mind screamed desperately. He felt withstand against a prevention to kill fading away. What he had seen in his second vision took a lot of the hesitation away…if it was the only way to save Xev, then he would do it, somewhere deep inside him he was now very sure about that, even if his reasonable mind tried to deny that. He would never ever admit Xev´s death, as long as he breathed he would find a way to prevent that! In any way!

"Kai!" The voice got more worried and rang a lot fiercer through his thoughts. Xev shook him slightly. She was confused by his behavior. If he knew something that shocking and obviously horribly, why didn´t he tell her? She saw his expression turning from rage to sadness, then to an hesitate firmness, as if he had come to some sort of conclusion. "Why don´t you tell me anything? I thought we would share everything that concerned both of us." Kai turned his head and he looked at her for a very long time without saying a word. "I can´t," he finally said with barely audible voice. "Why?" she asked. "I told you." "She showed you something that isn´t certain, you said, I know." Xev said impatiently, "But…," "I cannot Xev, accept it!" he said far sharper than he wanted to, but sometimes her stubbornness really enervated him. Xev backed off startled. Kai never had stroke such a sharp tone at her. She could see anger crossing his face. "Sorry," she murmured. A moment of silence fell between them, Kai picked up his tools again, but he only held them without doing something. He kept his gaze at them, he wasn´t able to look at Xev´s hurt expression at the moment. It wasn´t his intension to hurt her, and he already was sorry for his sharp reaction. But everything would become more complicated if she would become knowledge about what he already knew. It was enough that his mind was troubled with it…he was used to that. He lifted his head the same moment Xev started to say something again. "I…!" she stopped again, uncertain if it was the right thing to do. His expression was unreadable at the moment. She took a heart and continued: "I understand. Kai, whatever happens, I´ll be on your side, as well as Stan, you´ll never be alone again." Hesitantly she laid her hand on his. "And I´ll never ask you again. But I hope that you´ll tell us everything of importance…so we _can_ help you. I´ve always trusted you, and I hope that you´ll trust me and Stan as well." Kai turned his gaze back at her, still she couldn´t read anything, but finally he nodded. "Thank you!" he said. Xev smiled a bit. He cocked his head to the side, his usual manner when he was weighting something. "I´ll trust both of you," he finally added. "But the prophetess told me that people shouldn´t know too much of their future, then they often want to change what will happen, completely not aware of what the consequences are– and for that they were only trapped deeper in their fate - or worse. I don´t want this to happen, that´s the reason why I have to carry some things alone, Xev. I don´t expect from you or Stan to understand that, but I expect that you respect my decision. Life already is hard enough for me!" he closed very seriously. Xev looked aside thoughtfully. She hadn´t considered such facts, but she should have learned that Kai didn´t do something without reason…she cursed her curious side, sometimes she really crossed the line with it. With a contrite expression she looked back at him: "Are you angry with me?" she asked.

Kai´s expression turned into one of surprise. He had to laugh: "No, Xev, not really. I understand the reason for your ongoing questions, I sometime was similar curious and did enough to bug other people with questioning…even if it was inappropriate. I sometime was young too…!" "Hey, I´m 4000 years old…!" Xev said indignant, her smile returned. "I always thought it´s a compliment to tell a woman she´s young…" he murmured, an amused glittering in his eyes. "Oh," Xev smirked. "Besides I am 2000 years older than you, for that…!" "Stop it, it´s enough, I got it," she fend off. Kai showed a faint smile: "Okay…!" "You really bug other people with questioning?" she asked a few seconds later innocently. "Of course, and believe me, some of the questions weren´t very … advisable to ask, at least not among my people." Kai concentrated back on the work, he changed some wires and reconnected some, avoiding any other possible requests of his past, he had noticed her curiosity within the last question.

Xev smiled, well, she really didn´t expect him to tell her more. Like so many times before, Kai didn´t reveal anything more about his heritage and his former life than small bits and pieces, something like what he had said just now.

She sighed, she doubted that if they hadn´t come across the little theatre she would have known nothing about him. In this manner he still was all mystery.

Suddenly 790 turned on again and told them that he had finished and all necessary data was saved on his memory. Kai reconnected the wires to their original position and Xev took 790.

The three returned to the bridge with their moths. It was quieter on the bridge now, only Shore´ and Stanley were talking about something. Xev handed 790 over to Shore´ and she told 790 to transfer every data needed to develop a new protection for the Arcannea. Shore´ was very happy and he left them to join his team in the provisional laboratory they had erected in a room next to the galley. The three were alone for a moment.

"So what do you think?" asked Xev and sat down on the step next to the pedestal. Stanley replied from his position above them: "About what?" "Is it possible to help them? Can they somehow use the knowledge?" "I don´t know, they´re the scientists and technicians, not me," Stan said. "Kai?" Xev asked on. "As they have an advanced technology and a deeper understanding of bioorganic technology I think they should," was the answer. "I hope so, it really would be a tragic loss when those Pr´karesh defeat them…!" Xev yawned. "Stop it Xev, I´m already tired enough…" Stan interrupted her and yawned too. "Think I should go to get some sleep then…" Xev said. "You´re staying aboard?" Stan asked. "Of course, even though Shereen told us that we can stay on Arcan´s, but I´m too tired to return, nighty-night!" Xev stood up and waved at them, her inquiring look at Kai was answered with a slight shake of the head. Xev shrugged her shoulders and left.

"I think I´ll go too, Kai, I´m sorry, but it were some busy hours." "It´s okay, Stan, I´ll see if I can help Shore´ somehow," Kai answered. "Good night then," Stan said and left. "Good night Stanley," Kai answered and left the bridge through the other passageway.

He really wasn´t tired, so he had decided to ask Shore´ if he could help. Shore´ was very happy about Kai´s offer, for they needed badly someone with a better skill for technology. There still were a lot of devices to connect and to assemble, and the last technicians should arrive tomorrow first. "The sooner we can start the better," said Shore´ and was relieved that he was able to take a look at some data so early. "Where the heck is this technician…!" they heard a feminine voice cursing from somewhere in the back. Kai turned and looked behind some boxes. "Do you have any problems?" Kai asked and arched one brow when he saw a young woman, barely at Xev´s age, lying under a desk, constantly muttering. She moved back forth and stroked some unruly red hair back. "If you don´t mind…but I think we need to check the connection to Lexx´s communication system, that´s where the problem lies." The device she wanted to start was their computer system, and they needed a connection to the Arcannean database first. Kai looked at the wires and asked: "Couldn´t 790 fulfill that task?" he asked. "I think your robot head is needed for the data transfer, so can you somehow connect our computer with the Lexx?" she asked. Kai nodded: "I could, do you have a receiver for the computer?" "As far as I know…yes, but actually I´m not the technician, that´s Sa´k, and he´s gone somewhere, grrrr," she said angry. "Gone somewhere?" Kai asked suspiciously. "Yes, he went off into the passageway half an hour ago, I thought he had to fetch some material from the bridge, but he hadn´t come back since that." Shore´ drew closer and heard her last words: "Is there a problem Ar´ata?" "Not really, but one of the technicians who should help us installing the equipment is somewhere lost…!" she said. "Mh, that shouldn´t happen of course, but the Lexx is confusing, maybe he lost his way," Shore´ said. Kai had discovered the receiver and took it. "I´ll look for him when I return from the installation of this device," he said and left the chamber. "Thank you!" Ar´ata called after him and smiled. "Too bad he isn´t single," she said to Shore´. Shore´ smiled: "I always thought you only have eyes for your diagrams and numbers….!" "Most of the time, yes, but I´m still a woman not a computer program!" Ar´ata snorted and went back to her work.

Kai was a little bit surprised when he saw a second moth standing on the landing platform near Lexx´s main control systems. He knew exactly that Stan and Xev had gone to bed, who else could be here if not them? Carefully he entered again the huge chamber where most of Lexx´s mechanical devices and data wires were. An unknown man stood in front of some of those devices and he could see that he seem to study them. "He was right…. there…no…. control…. ship." Kai wasn´t able to understand much of what the man said. Obviously he talked via squawker to someone. Kai spotted this device some moments later when he stopped talking and closed the frequency. He put the small device away and walked back the way to the moths, when Kai suddenly emerged from the shadows.

"May I help you?" Kai asked calmly. The other man was clearly appalled and shrieked back for a moment. But he recovered fast and answered quickly: "I was looking for some connection possibility to the ship, so we can connect our computer system over the Lexx´s communication system with our database." Kai´s eyes narrowed a bit.

Something with this man was wrong, even if he was telling something quite logically on the first sight. Of course he could have made a call with someone to ask anything, but Kai felt that the man lied. And of course there was another thing that made him more than suspicious. Casually he asked him: "I think then you may have forgotten to take this device with you. Besides, how did you find this area? No one besides us knows where it is, and no one has access to it." The BrunnenG turned the receiver in his hands. "Sorry, I just didn´t know," the man said and looked at the device in Kai´s hand then at Kai self. It didn´t sound very convincing for Kai. He had to take an eye on this fellow. Something in his body tensed immediately when he looked at him and he didn´t know why. Some memory told him that his reaction was normal when danger was scented…

Kai wasn´t an assassin anymore, but his intense gaze was still determined and fierce enough to make another man look down sometime. And Kai wasn´t very amused that this technician was weaseling around here. The man, Ar´ata had called him Sa´k, finally dropped the gaze and murmured some excuse and announced that he'll return to his work. But somehow Kai was convinced that he only was a good actor. Something in his behavior wasn´t that obedient and compliable, at least not to ordinary people. Before he could leave the chamber, Kai caught his arm and stopped him: "There´s no reason for a sight seeing tour of the Lexx, if I see you somewhere else besides the chamber you were working, the galley or the bridge, I´ll let Shore´ know and I think this will have consequences." For a moment Kai sensed an angry spark in Sa´ks eyes, he felt the muscles tensing under his fingers, but only for a few seconds, than the man nodded and Kai let him go. No, this fellow didn´t suit him, every inch of his body told him that. And he was sure that his suspicion was right. This man wasn´t what he tried to make them believe. Kai watched the moth leaving and turned to install the device, he knew that the scientists needed their communication system and he also needed some rest soon. But this incident bothered him a while. He connected the receiver and returned to the laboratory chamber. Ar´ata was jubilating when he entered. "Thank you, Kai, it works," "You´re welcome," the BrunnenG nodded and let his gaze slide over the attendees. Sa´k was working in a corner, which calmed him a bit. He saw no need to tell Shore´ now, for he had no evidence, but he again felt this strange sensation that he didn´t seem to fit in among all these other people. "Did he call you a few minutes ago?" Kai asked Ar´ata, with a slight head movement at Sa´k. She looked at him with big eyes: "No, there weren´t any calls since you left, why do you ask?" "Nothing of importance. If you need anything further, we´re around," Kai said to her and Shore´. "Okay, thank you. The data I have studied so far made me optimistic that we will be finished in a couple of days, two or three I think." "Take your time," Kai said. "Yes, but we don´t have much," Shore´ said with sorrowful expression. "I know, good night," Kai nodded and left the chamber. "Night," Shore´ put his attention back on the screen, where he had studied the data and continued his work.

Kai returned to Xev´s bedroom and lay soundlessly down next to her. She was already asleep and he saw no need to wake her up. The thought about the technicians´ actions bothered him still, but he didn´t come to any conclusion - he fell asleep before.

The next morning, he felt someone tapping constantly on his arm. "No," he mumbled in his pillow, "I don´t want to get up Xev…!" But the tapping continued. Bedridden he opened his eyes to tell Xev again that he was still tired, but Xev´s space was empty.

Still half asleep he turned and looked into Stan´s face. "Sorry to wake you Kai, but Shore´ asked me if you can fetch some devices from the station and bring them here, to the laboratory." "Slowly Stan, I´m not wide awake already…" Kai got into a sitting position and stroke his loose hair back. Why did they want him to go to the station, hadn´t they enough technicians to do that?

Stan seemed to be in a hurry, he tried to explain him again: "Sorry. Okay, once again…" "It´s alright, I understood what you said, so you want me to go to the station to fetch some things and transport them to the Lexx?" Stan smiled: "Exactly." "Okay, just give me some minutes…!" "No problem, Xev waits for you in the moth-breeding chamber," and then Stan was gone. Kai sighed, stood up and dressed. Why was Xev waiting there? Kai badly had to clear his still sleep-confused mind. Absently he finished his hairdo and then he left for the moth-breeding chamber.

On the way there he met Ar´ata. "Hello!" she said friendly. "Hello," Kai answered. "Stan informed you about those devices to fetch up?" she asked. Kai nodded. "Good, is it possible to take me and two of our technicians with you?" "Yes, but tell me, why didn´t fetch your own technicians the stuff, I thought you have shuttles?" Kai asked.

"Seems like we have again problems out there!" She pointed above. "Sixteen evacuation ships arrived two hours ago and they need any available shuttle to bring the fugitives to the station or the planets. And they need all available technicians to repair the damage. So there´s only one of our three technicians staying, and the others who should arrive today won´t come." Ar´ata said a bit desperate. Kai nodded: "I understand." This would make the whole situation a bit more complicated. They surely would need more time now. But now he knew at least why _he_ had to go there.

They reached the moth-breeding chamber, but Stan was nowhere in sight. Xev explained him that he had gone back to the bridge, answering an important call from Yareena.

"I wonder why _he_ hadn´t gone to the station…" Kai murmured. "Are you a bit gruffy this morning?" Xev asked teasingly. Kai rolled his eyes and said: "I´m not sure but this night was somehow short." Xev laughed and climbed into on of the moths.

This now woke him up completely: "You want to go with me?" he asked astonished. "Why not? We´ll need two moths…one for the people and one for the material. And besides that, Ar´ata told me that there were some very nice shopping malls there…" She pointed at Ar´ata who climbed into the second moth with two technicians. One of them was Sa´k. Immediately this strange gut feeling returned and he was reminded to the situation yesterday. He still was convinced that this man had lied. Shore´ surely wasn´t interested in Lexx´s control systems, and he was sure the Arcannea too weren´t that curious so they try to find out something on their own without permission. He glared at Sa´k as if to find out what he hadn´t told him. But the technician only glared back shortly, his expression didn´t give away anything. Kai seriously thought about keeping an eye on him when they reach the station, so he was a bit disappointed that Xev wanted to come with him. Not that he didn´t like her to be with him, but he couldn´t go with Xev _and_ watching this guy at the same time. And telling Xev about his "suspicion-only-depending-on-some-uncertain-evidences" was out of question. Well, he had seen him communicating with someone unknown, but this wasn´t evidence at all. He shrugged his shoulders and calmed down, maybe there was an opportunity to find out, he had to wait, and there was nothing else he could do at the moment.

So they left the Lexx with two moths and flew over to the Arcannea station. Ar´ata who flew the second moth lead them directly to a hangar and they landed.

They left the moths after the atmosphere had recovered and the energy field protected them from the deadly vacuum in space. Behind the hangar lay a small passageway and then they entered a huge room, obviously a service room and waiting area for several hangars reachable from here. A lot of technicians and other staff hustled and bustled there.

Ar´ata had left them for a brief moment and returned with an angry look on her face. "I can´t believe it…. these…oh, I could go overboard…we were put on the _waiting-list_, …those…those bureaucrats. No technicians available to bring our stuff here they say. No matter if the work we do is important for the Alliance or not! If their tiny asses will be blown up tomorrow I´m innocent, I tell ya!" "I suppose because of the evacuation ships?" Kai asked. Ar´ata nodded. "We have to wait two or three hours, sorry. I suggest you take a look around, we should meet again here in three….!"

A cracking interrupted her, then a screen above them flickered and Shereen appeared on it. Immediately silence fell around. The people stopped their work as if switched out.

"May I call your attention please?"

Xev and Kai knew immediately that this wasn´t a usual procedure, the reaction of the people was scaring. Shereens face also showed a clear sad and upset expression.

"Today, two hours ago, I was informed that one of our evacuation transports from Tarron 4 and Ghe´a was attacked by the Pr´karesh and nearly had been destroyed completely. We do not have a number of victims yet, but we calculate with over 600 000 people being killed in this barbaric act of aggression. As a reaction, the council decided to stop any evacuation from those regions. We are aware that this could mean a complete take over of those planets by the Pr´karesh, but we know that at least the inhabitants weren´t slaughtered…and we may have the chance to re-conquer those planets. But we will defend those planets as good as we can. The council and I hope that the people of the Alliance as well as our citizens on those planets concerned will understand our reaction. If anyone wants to leave on his own, he should do that, we will help in any way we can. Citizens and those who have relatives from Tarron 4 and Ghe´a can report to our crisis management, which will soon be erected on this station, segment 5, level 2.

The council and I want to offer our deepest condolence to all those who have lost friends, family and relatives. And we also promise that we try everything to prevent any further attacks on our citizens in the future. Thank you for your attention!"

The screen went blank and left dead silence. The people around them didn´t go desperate and hysteric, but the expressions were completely serious, sad and in more than one case they could see someone cry. After several minutes, most of them started to work again, but a lot more silent and slower than before. Kai still looked at the empty screen with narrowed eyes. Xev sighed, as well as Ar´ata. Xev had seen many planets destroyed, a whole universe with countless people, this all had been weird and sometimes scary, but never before she had felt so sad for the loss of so many lives like now. Maybe because of the connection they now had to the Arcannea. Kai´s attention was caught by Sa´k who hadn´t shown any reaction when the president had spoken. Kai wasn´t sure, but it seemed that Sa´k wasn´t uncomfortable at all by this situation. Now the man turned and said in a flat voice: "I´ll be back in two hours." Then he started to walk to the exit. Ar´ata called after him: "And who should do all this bureaucratic shit?" But Sa´k didn´t turn. "Hey!" Ar´ata made a face. "All the same, every time, I should talk to Shore´ that we don´t need such technicians, really." Kai watched the vanishing man. "How long has he been in your team?" he asked. "Not very long. Our technical unit sent him to us. They said, he is very good, so he came to us. No idea how long he worked for them, really." Kai nodded. "Alright, then I have to do it on my own again. You negotiate your way?" she asked. "I think so." "Well, then we meet again in three hours, I think." She vanished into the crowd and Xev and Kai were on their own.

Kai really wanted to know, where Sa´k had to go that suddenly, instead of helping Ar´ata with the work, but when he and Xev reached the passageways, he wasn´t visible anywhere. Again this disturbing sensation flooded his stomach. "Are you coming?" Xev asked. Kai blinked, he hadn´t realized that he had paused. "Where to?" He asked. Xev let an imploratory smile appear on her face. Kai sighed. The shopping mall, alright, this now promised some distraction and alternation.

How right Kai was with his assumption, he didn´t guess.

Sa´k had used this welcomed opportunity to leave the Lexx again. He had sent his master the current status of information and the request how to continue with the task.

His master had given him a lot of useful information about the Lexx before he started the mission, but nothing of its crew. Maybe because his master wasn´t sure about the current owner of the Lexx? He never thought that his master could lack off such important information. Well, it wasn´t his fault, this ship had arrived here so surprisingly that there was no time to find out such things at once. So he was sent here for that purpose – to collect information.

And he truly had discovered some very useful and of course surprising information.

First of all he was a bit surprised by the fact that the crew wasn´t a mighty creature his master had called Divine Shadow with some of his guards, instead only three ordinary humans and a robot head were aboard. By revealing the crews true nature, the task got easier he had thought. So the answer came fast and expected shortly…

But before he was able to continue he had to take care about the second part of his mission and with it of some more unimportant members of the crew.

So he wasn´t concerned about a successful ending.

Sa´k entered one of the private meeting rooms along the shopping mall. He closed the door and looked at the three waiting men inside, who wore as well as him technician clothes. One of them was very gaunt and had dark hair. His face wasn´t very friendly. The other man was much taller and looked very athletic, also his appearance was very dark. He had brown hair and a face that always showed red sports, the third one was the oldest one of them, he showed already grey hair and he had a lot of scars on his once not unattractive face. "Everything done?" the gauntly man asked. "Not completely. I have sent a request to our master and will return to the Lexx after we finished the mission here." Sa´k said and sat down. "Where is the problem?" The other man asked. "One of the crewmembers seems to guess something. He caught me when I called you from the Lexx´s main control system." "Why hadn´t you killed him at once?" "Not the right timing. We have to be careful. I thought we can eliminate that ´problem here on the station. Do you have everything, so we can start?" The athletic man nodded and showed him a bag. "Okay. Prepare everything, we meet in two hours in hangar 46 on this level, that´s where we landed, and then two of the Lexx crew will be dead as well as most people on this station. Then we only have to deal with the Captain of the Lexx, this is the man the Biovezir surely is interested in and our completion of the whole mission." Sa´k said smiling wicked. His companions nodded, smiling in return. "Then we set the plan into action." "Good." Sa´k rose from the seat and left the cabin without turning.

Whilst Xev was watching the many shops, Kai had spotted Sa´k by pure chance coming out of the conference room. He watched him carefully and saw him slurry over to a café, where he sat down and ordered something to drink. Several minutes later the named conference room once again caught his attention. Three other men left it, also clad in technician overalls, one of them carried a heavy bag very carefully. But like with Sa´k before, the clothes didn´t seem to fit…there was something wrong with them. Kai stopped nearly breathing when he recognized one of the men. He had seen him clearly in his vision…the man that wanted to kill, or killed Xev in it. Suddenly he was wide-awake. There was clearly something going on here…whatever the vision had tried to show him…it had begun.

Kai watched Sa´k carefully, the gut feeling had grew more intense, he was aware that whatever would happen now…he had to be constantly ready…he must…because he didn´t want to let happen what the vision had shown him.

Kai started to think back to the days he once had to plan attacks and strategies, because the few things he had seen so far reminded him very strong to a plan. Everyone maybe would have laughed about him, but what came now in his mind sounded strangely logically.

What if they were Pr´karesh…planning to attack someone or something in the deepest heart of the Alliance…if he was the bad guy - or an assassin, he would exactly do that.

The station was very important, it was their supply, their main transport way…everything.

Kai froze when he thought about all those people on the station, he knew that there were two millions coming and going in a constant flow. He had to do something, he must find out what this Sa´k and the other men were planning, but how?

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt Xev appearing next to him.

"Here you are, what you´re doing, staring into space?" Kai shook his head, and Xev followed his gaze. "That´s one of the technicians who flew with us back to the station, isn´t he?" Another nod. "Why do you watch him?" "Something is wrong here, Xev…I can _feel_ that!" Xev looked more than surprised at him. Kai never had declared some gut feelings that clearly before. "What do you mean?" she asked skeptically and laid her hand on his arm. Kai looked at her, without taking his attention off Sa´k. "I should explain you…!" he said and told her about the incident in Lexx´s main control chamber and everything he had observed after, except for the visions he had received from the prophetess, for the obvious reason.

"Strange, indeed. And you really think that he may can be a Pr´karesh?" "Perhaps," was Kai´s answer.

At least, it could make any sense. Assumed he was from Pr´karesh, could it be that he knew something about the Lexx too? Better said the one who had sent him here? The Pr´karesh use the insect technology, obviously based on Cluster technology, and the Lexx also was partially insect – and built on the Cluster. This could explain Sa´ks knowledge about where the Lexx´s main control systems were…Kai hadn´t believed in a coincidence, and he knew that Sa´k lied at him when he said that he found it by chance. Someone must have told him, someone who knew the Lexx… Allowedly, all this thoughts sounded a bit strange, even in his own ears, but the logic in it quite hurt. But also there was no one he could think about who had this knowledge, besides His Divine Shadow…and this last insect was definitely dead. How should he know then? Who could be the one responsible for all this? He hadn´t any idea, because he hadn´t been really aware of anything these 2000 years he had spent on the Cluster.

"So, what should we do?" Xev asked and once again snapped him out of his train of thoughts.

"The best idea I have at the moment…" Kai said. "…is to watch him, he´s waiting for something, and we should stay close to him…it´s our only chance to learn what´s going on." "Alright, I trust you, Kai…" Xev sighed inwardly. Admitted, it was anyone's guess…but she ever had trusted him, and the things he had said were somewhat concerning, even if he hadn´t told her everything…she was sure about that.

They watched Sa´k from their hidden place behind some plants and after two hours they followed him inconspicuously. He made his way back to he hangar where they had landed two hours ago, and just as Xev wanted to tell Kai that he may had been wrong, he may have interpreted his feelings wrong, they saw how he met with two of the three men Kai had observed before, and vanished around a corner into a side passageway.

Kai signified Xev to stay behind and followed them. Slowly he sneaked around the corner and covered behind some boxes. He only was five meters away from them, but he couldn´t hear what they were speaking, because they did it in a hushed tone. But he could clearly see that the bag, the one had carried, was nearly empty now. The gauntly man put his hand inside the bag and showed Sa´k a small black device. In his other hand he held two other different devices. Sa´k threw a short glance at them, then nodded and the gauntly man put them back. The third man he had seen with them before, was missing, maybe he was somewhere else and waited for further instructions…Kai was able to take a good look at the devices they had…and he recognized them immediately. With sudden realizing he knew what they were about. His lips formed a small line and he didn´t try to imagine what might happen if they succeed in what they were about to do. He had to stop them, the sooner the better, for he didn´t know how much time was left now.

He had seen enough and advanced backward carefully.

Xev looked inquiring at him when he met her in the main passageway. Many people were running up and down, technicians entering and leaving the service room, which lead to their hangar. He grabbed Xevs shoulders and shoved her around a corner. "I was right, they plan to destroy the station,…" he said darkly. "What! Are you sure?" she asked terrified. "I know the devices they want to use for that task, believe me…I´ve worked with them a very long time," he answered grimly. "Oh my God. What we´re waiting for? We must stop them…!" Xev wanted to run back. "Wait!" Kai held her back firmly. The pictures of her, screaming and maybe dying returned with full force. "You have to go and find Yareena, Stan´s girlfriend. She´s the chief of security here… " "But…!" "No buts, Xev…" "Oh yes, do you know how much time we have left? If this are time fuzes…you understand, maybe it´s the only chance to stop them and save the station…!" she said firmly. Kai hesitated. Of course, he didn´t know how much time was left, it would be impossible to part and try to stop them in this way, one of those Pr´karesh was missing, he didn´t know where he was, but they knew where Sa´k and his companions were, whatever the fourth man was good for…these three were definitely the important one´s. Kai closed his eyes for a moment and suddenly it became clear to him that he wasn´t able to stop the chain-reaction of events beginning from now on…soon he would know if the visions had shown the truth or if he was able to do something completely different to prevent it.

"Let´s go, before it´s too late," Xev said determinedly, Kai wouldn´t stop her from going with him, whatever scared him about this thought. "Xev, I don´t want to happen…" Kai tried a last time, but he knew that he had lost already. "…something to me? I know. But I´m a big girl. And if we´re two we have a far bigger chance to stop them…you know that you´re not an invulnerable dead assassin anymore," she pointed out. It was senseless, he knew it and with a slight nod he gave in…but the worried look on his face grew deeper.

They turned around the corner again and saw the three villains entering the service room in front of the hangar. For Kai it was clear that they planned to escape with the moth…to the Lexx, after they had ignited the bombs. There was no other way to get away from the station then using the moths – after ignited the bombs. Another reason more they had to stop them.

Stan would clearly be in danger…and if Sa´k succeeded, he could do anything to force Stan to do whatever he wanted to do, Stan wasn´t the greatest hero of all times, even though Kai would never blame him for that. Stan had his good sides, if the scales really had to tip to their side, he was there when needed! Hopefully Sa´k didn´t know anything about the key and Stan´s function. But either he knew or not…they had to stop him.

They followed them, nearly running through the crowd of technicians and staff working there. Kai spotted Ar´ata in the crowd and grabbed her arm. "Tell the people to go, evacuate this hangar, inform Yareena, quickly, we´re after some terrorists who have bombs, they want to destroy the station!" Kai said hastily and moved on. Ar´ata stood dumbstruck for a moment but then she moved as fast as lightning.

Kai and Xev couldn´t follow the things going on outside any longer, because now they entered hangar 46 through the small passageway. Their moths were somewhere in the back and out of their way.

They watched one of the men putting the last bomb, the devices Kai had recognized as such, in place. Kai knew that he hadn´t any weapon, and he was sure they must have some, but he had to take the risk, there was no other way…

He closed the distance between him and the gauntly man who stood not far away from him. The moment of surprise was clearly on their side, so he was able to grab the man and put his arm firmly around his neck. "Put the bomb away Sa´k, and lay down the time fuze!" He said with his strong baritone voice to Sa´k and the athletic man. He felt the men's body tensing when he tried to resist, but a more firm pressure of is arm and he gave in. Kai suddenly felt strangely calm…it had begun, he had indeed took up the fight…and he was willingly to end it in every possible way from now on, there were no questions, no hesitation in his mind any longer, the adrenaline level rose up when he looked around to survey the situation.

The athletic man slowly put down the time fuze and withdrew from it a few steps.

Sa´k, who had adjusted something, froze only for the tiniest part of a second, then he slowly turned. Sa´k wasn´t surprised, he was prepared for everything…of course, he really didn´t expect this man to be here…but he knew from the beginning that there was something with this dark man he shouldn´t underestimate. "You cannot stop us…it´s already too late!" He said calm.

"Put down the bomb!" Kai ordered unflinching. "Or he´ll die." "He´s a soldier and accustomed to death, there´s nothing you can bargain with…!" Sa´k said smiling cruelly. "Oh, sure, there´s something we can deal with!" Xev said grimly and used the opportunity to speed up in her lizard mode…Sa´k was really surprised for a moment and Xev bumped him a few meter back, the bomb fell off his hands. Kai had to smile a bit. The girl was amazing. Xev looked sharply at the athletic man who wanted to step forward again, he stopped. She picked up the bomb and threw it into the energy barrier. Then she wanted to collect the time fuze, but suddenly she felt someone's hand on her shoulder and a weapon pressed next to her head. "Let him go or I kill _her_…!" Sa´k bellowed at Kai. Kai hadn´t seen Sa´k moving, the fast recovery of this man surprised him. Inwardly he cursed…Sa´k was clearly an experienced fighter…he shouldn´t have underestimated him that much… Humans make faults he thought bitterly and looked at the not less surprised Xev, but she said bravely: "No, don´t…!" But he knew that it was senseless, Sa´k would kill her in an instant if he hesitated, he had been the same sort of killer before, cold-blooded and merciless in his attempt to reach an aim. Slowly he let the man go…there wasn´t anything he could do now. The gauntly man massaged his neck and threw a dark glance at Kai. "Take the time fuze, Gran," Taleron ordered the gauntly man. Gran smiled wolfishly and picked it up, then another blaster appeared, this time in his hands. He returned to Kai and revolved him, Kai didn´t move any inch, but his eyes constantly followed attentively every movement of Gran. "I´m convinced that Taleron would be very happy to see all of them imprisoned…!" "No names, Sran," Sa´k fizzled at the athletic man who had stepped next to him meanwhile. "Maybe he would, but they´re just dead weight….!"

Kai listened attentively… Taleron , this name was somehow familiar…

Sran twitched when he heard Sa´ks rebuke and stopped talking. Sa´k waved with his weapon to the middle of the room and said: "Come on, over there, both of you." Kai slowly moved towards Xev and Sa´k, his mind working as fast as he never thought it could work. He was developing strategies and counterstrategies…only half aware that this part of him once had been one of his assassin skills. He looked at Xev, tried to calm her down a bit with a cautionary expression on his face, for he could see that she wanted to do something, anything…

Xev watched her beloved moving next to her, more upset than calmed when she saw his expression. Then Sa´k let finally go of her, the weapon still pointing at both of them. She looked again back at Kai, but there wasn´t any sign that he was about to do something. Why not? She asked herself. Time was running down, she had been able to take a look at the small device Kai had called a time fuze when Gran picked it up again, and the number on it wasn´t a huge one…this was something she could say without the ability to read.

Sa´k now moved back to one of the walls, returned to the work he had started before the appearance of Kai and Xev disturbed his work, he started to connect another device, he now put out of the bag, between the wires and buttons inside. From here they wanted to ignite the second part – directly with this device. Their fourth man would ignite the first part from elsewhere and then join them here to leave with them after they ignite the second part. In all the estimated chaos he would not be constricted to come here. But now there was a problem.

The bomb, the woman had been able to destroy seconds ago should have been the third part…, they couldn´t ignite the third line of the installed bombs with the time fuze now. Sa´k knitted his brows. The time fuze should ignite this bomb and start the chain reaction of the third line after they had left the station. But without the bomb it wasn´t possible…there was only one thing how to succeed in igniting both lines.

By reprogramming the time fuze…it had to replace the bomb and transfer the signal of the last exploding bomb of the second line to the first bomb of the third line. They wouldn´t have much time to leave the station before the third line would complete the destruction of the station, less time than before. So their fourth man would die in this explosion…but well, it was a sacrifice for the greater cause…Sa´k thought disinterested. He called Sran and ordered him to take the time fuze from Gran and reprogram it in the wanted kind.

Gran now put his full attention towards Kai and Xev, he was the one with the blaster and so the better guard for the two captives. Sran followed his orders and started to program the time fuze anew, he walked around to get a clearer signal of the bomb placed some levels above them.

This maybe could be her chance, two of them were distracted by their evil work. Xev was thinking fast, …they should use this opportunity. Gran would also be distracted for a moment if she decided to attack Sran and Kai could disarm Gran at the same time, whilst she could finish the other guy…and they suddenly had a new chance to stop Sa´k from igniting the bombs placed allover the station.

Sa´k nodded at Gran: "I´m sure we can ignite the other half without problems, and we have enough time to leave the station!" he said. Gran smiled: "I was afraid the loss of our bomb would diminish our planned destruction grade…!" "There´s always a second possibility," Sa´k answered and grinned.

Xev bit her lips, it was really time to do something…if Sran moved just a bit closer to her

…and really, suddenly he did her the favor…Xev started to move, with a clusterlizard howl she jumped at him and kicked him hard between the legs, the time fuze slid over the floor. "Xev, nooo…!" Kai shouted when he realized what she was doing. He already had a plan…but Xev´s overhasty reaction was the thing that could end up in a mess.

But of course…it was too late. There was nothing to do than to stop Gran from firing at her. The guard was the most dangerous threat now. He jumped at him and threw him to the ground. Gran was surprised and the weapon fell to the floor. Kai also rolled over the floor to escape Sa´ks shot he had expected from the moment he had attacked Gran. From the corner of his eye he had seen Sa´ks fast reaction and the movement to draw his weapon. The next shot from him would surely apply for Xev. After she had brought her opponent down, she was on the way to stop Sa´k from what he was doing, she clearly underestimated Sa´ks skill to handle two opponents at the same time, and Sa´k had a gun, and she hadn´t.

Kai ignored his own foe after he had knocked him hard to the ground and as fast as he could he whirled around and dragged Xev out the line of fire. The shot was aimed well and it surely had killed her if Kai hadn´t intervened, instead the shot only hit Xev´s leg. She cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Kai let her slid down, there was no time to take care of her now. He reached for Gran´s weapon, which laid only a step in front of him, right next to the, fortunately, unconscious man Xev had knocked down, and fired at Sa´k. Sa´k only smiled wickedly and took cover. Kai missed him clearly. "As I told you, it´s already too late…!" And Sa´k connected the last wire and activated the second line of bombs. It was not important any longer if his companion elsewhere on the station already had ignited the first part…the situation was beyond his control since those two interfered and he now only counted on luck that he was able to leave the station elsewhere, well, the third line won´t explode, so he knew where to go to be save from any destruction.

Kai could feel very clearly the rumbling that went through the station. The exploding bombs did their work. Sa´k fired once again at him and then vanished with a dry laugh through the small passageway. Kai ducked and cursed, he didn´t want Sa´k to escape…but he couldn´t leave Xev…and he had to take care about the time fuze. He lifted it up where it had slid and breathed a sigh of relieve, Sran hadn´t been able to end his work. Some bombs would never explode.

He deactivated the time fuze, ripped it apart, made it useless. If the remaining and at the moment unconscious terrorists woke up and got the time fuze back, they surely were in the position to reactivate it if they had the chance. With another sigh he threw the parts into the energy barrier. He didn´t know the current amount of damage, but it was a vaguely good sign that this part of the station seemed to be undamaged - yet. A new shock of explosions was suddenly detectable.


	18. A generous sacrifice

Chapter 17

A generous sacrifice

The assault caught the Arcannea flat fooded.

For all the world to see, a huge part of the station was ripped open in a gigantic explosion. Several ships close by were effected by that and the debris damaged them, some of them

started to burn, whilst others crashed down onto other parts of the station in the hectically attempt to flee. Undamaged parts of the station were set on fire for a short moment, before the oxygen was used up and the vacuum of the space extinguished the flames. It was a chaotic mass everywhere around.

But fortunately there was much less chaos on the station, thanks to Ar´ata, she had reached Yareena´s bureau in time to let her at least sent out a warning to all the people on the station. So the worst chaos was avoided, the people were prepared at least a little when the explosions spread all over the station.

The plan of Sa´k and his accomplices had been, to let the vacuum do the rest of the work when they successful had blast several holes into the weakest points of the station: the hangars and the observing places…because they weren´t able to transport enough explosive material to the station without risk. The plan was good, but it was great luck for the Arcannea that only half of the bombs exploded so far and thanks to Ar´atas warning, the security was able to close the security doors to the most sensitive and populated regions. These tiny little actions prevented the station from the worst – to be torn apart. Nobody knew how many victims this act of terror demanded, because there were surely enough people trapped behind security doors, but for a complete evacuation of some of these areas hadn´t been enough time. They had to live with the knowledge that they sacrificed some few lives to safe the rest of the station and with them most of the people on it.

Slowly it became clear to them all that they were luckier than they thought at the first sight.

Through all the shock they suffered now, Yareena organized help everywhere and instructed her crews to help the injured and shocked people, to help some trapped people out of uncritical areas and to secure critical areas. She also called Shereen on Sha´ra to inform her about the incident. Yareena left no doubt that her friend wanted those who were responsible for these actions, and Ar´ata had to tell her again and again about Kai´s warning of a bomb in hangar 645, and that he and Xev followed those guys who want to blow up the station with it.

Yareena threw a look at her screens and couldn´t suppress a groan, one of the huge rifts run close, very close by the named hangar. Biotechnology or not…such huge rifts wouldn´t heal at once and soon. Ar´ata turned pale and had to sit down. "Do you think…they´re…?" "I …don´t know, the chance that they´re still alive isn´t very big, admitted. But many people need help now, and I can´t play master over life and death…, we have to concentrate to those regions where we have the biggest hope to find survivors…" Ar´ata was a bit upset: "But without their warning everything would have gone worse, maybe the whole station would have blasted…we can´t leave them on their own, we owe them …" Yareena made a face: "I _know_ that, Ar´ata, god," "Let me go, I´ll go, just give me two or three of your men, or volunteers,…" Ar´ata said. "It´s too dangerous…!" "I know, just let me, I owe them my life." "Okay, I´ll ask for free capacity and volunteers, that´s all I can do!" Yareena said and activated her already overcharged communication system. "Thank you," Ar´ata nodded and waited patiently.

At the same time, in the named hangar 645, Kai knelt down next to Xev and examined her injury. Xev was a bit pale and dizzy. "Ouch, that damn hurts," she murmured. "I know," he said with knitted brows and a worried look at her leg. The skin was heavily burnt right under her left knee and he was certain that the bone was also broken. She would need some medical help.

Suddenly they heard a sharp screeching sound from somewhere and Kai could feel the ground vibrating again. Kai looked up and his gaze wandered over the hangar walls. "We´ve got to go, the walls stability is distressed and I´m not sure how long they can withstand the pressure."

Xev nodded with tightly squeezed lips and tried to get up…of course without success. Kai shook his head and bent down to lift her up.

Both hadn´t recognized that Gran regained his consciousness meanwhile and had only waited for a chance to attack again. Now he saw his chance and got to his feet. Xev sound out a warning cry and Kai stepped aside just in time. Gran tried to get to the weapon Kai had laid down beneath Xev when he started to look at her injury, but Xev was faster, she knew that neither she had the chance to shoot without risking Kais life too, nor that Kai could get the weapon in time, so she threw the blaster over the floor somewhere far back into the hangar. Gran howled in anger, but hadn´t the time to concentrate on Xev, Kai already attacked him and both men were now fighting. It wasn´t really a relief that Kai fought this danger, because she could see that the other man was regaining his consciousness too. The only chance she saw was that she could reach the knife before he would. It only lay a few steps ahead, but the injury made it almost impossible to move. The pain in her leg was increasing every time she moved, and despite her strong clusterlizard nature she was nearly helpless when the sharp pain shot through her body. She sank back, cursing herself and her stupidity.

The athletic man groaned when he woke up, the pain was fading but the sensitive place between his legs still hurt terribly. He cursed the woman and looked around. But what he saw let him nearly forget the pain…there she was, sitting on the floor, seemingly unable to move because of some sort of injury, he saw her struggling to get to his knife, which lay perfectly out of reach – and she was unprotected. Her companion struggled with Gran and was perfectly distracted. Sran bared his teeth and started to grin evil. "I´ll make sure that you won´t kick anyone with any leg any longer, bitch!" he murmured and got to his feet.

Xev´s eyes widened when she saw the man drawing nearer. The wicked grin on his face didn´t promise anything good. He reached the knife and picked it up. Xev let out a sharp Lizard growl to intimidate Sran, but without success, her incapability to do anything was too obvious. Slowly and with huge efforts she advanced backward, knowing exactly that she couldn´t do anything better. Xev threw a desperate gaze sideward, but Kai was still fighting with Gran. She growled again when Sran came closer and closer, the knife glinted deadly in his fist. If Kai hadn´t the chance to help her, she had to fight as best as she could, she didn´t want to give up crying like a little girl…

"Kai!" she finally cried out, only to let him know that there was a second threat now. But something in her voice must have given her desperate situation away. Her friend threw a hasty gaze at her and recognized the situation immediately. Something shot through his body and he doubled his efforts to get rid off Gran. The fight was very tiring and he slowly felt his strength fading. Xev had been right, to fight against other people with only ordinary human strength wasn´t easy. But the anxiety something could happen to Xev now, let more adrenaline rush through his veins and he attacked Gran harder than before. He knocked him to the ground and before he knew what he did, his hand reached for Grans neck…with a dry snap the mans´ neck broke and the body slumped to the floor. Kai pressed his lips together when he realized that he had killed this man. But he hadn´t time to think about that now, Xev needed his help. His gaze left the dead figure on the ground and wandered over to Xev, whose retreat had already been stopped by the hangar wall. There was no way for her to escape…but she tried to face the approaching threat as brave as she always was, but the fear in her eyes gave her innermost away. The situation suddenly felt strangely familiar to him…Xev growling, threatened by an enemy, he had seen this scenery before….

He felt a bitter taste in his mouth when he remembered…the visions. They were about to come true. For a moment he froze where he was…it was the exact situation he had seen two times before. And one of it had shown Xev dying…anger filled him, no, he wouldn´t admit that! Never! But everything he saw in front of his eyes leaded to that conclusion - he would never be there in time to knock the Pr´karesh down, who had lifted his knife with a big smile in his ugly face.

Kai sprinted forward…he couldn´t think about anything else than to save Xev and there was only one thing left to do…the only chance to save her…

Xev tried her best to defend herself, she could avoid the first blow of his knife by pushing sideward away from the wall, but she knew exactly that the second blow would hit her…she hadn´t the strength to keep away from him a second time, the pain was too strong, Xev screamed full of anger and frustration and closed her eyes…waited for the inevitable.

But instead of the expected blow with the knife she felt something, better said someone, cockling onto her and hissing: "Stay down Xev.."

It was Kai. He hadn´t reacted a second too late. He pressed Xev down to the ground and protected her with his own body. The next second it would have been to late…instead of Xex, it was Kai who felt the sharp blade penetrating through his skin.

He knew this…he had experienced the same once, a long time ago. His body tensed when he felt the cold blade cutting through his flesh…then he felt the pain exploding from where Sran had injured him. Kai breathed sharply in, 6000 years ago he had died after this moment, because his heart had been sliced, but this time, the knife failed his heart, and he was fully conscious when the knife was withdrawn with an angry curse. Despite that all, Kai knew that he had to do something, if Sran was able to kill him now, he also would kill Xev a few moments later and nothing would be won. So he ignored the pain and his injury and used the opportunity of Srans surprise by his unexpected action. Kai got to his feet and blocked the mans´ arm, prevented another blow and pushed Sran backwards, away from Xev. With a series of hard strokes and kicks he brought Sran down. But Kai felt his strength fading slowly, the injury was demanding its price, if he wasn´t able to stop Sran soon, he would loose. Sran realized the upcoming advantage with a wicked grin and both men rolled struggling over the floor. Even without his injury, Sran would have been a lot stronger, and Kai was loosing ground very fast. In the middle of this wild fight, Sran was able to pin Kai to the ground and lifted his knife once again. Kai caught his wrist just in time and tried to get free. With a desperate effort he finally threw them around, but he had to let go of Srans wrist and the Pr´karesh used this sudden chance to push the knife down, with all strength he stabbed it into Kai´s body once again. Kai fell to his side and groaned low. Half unconscious he lay there, almost incapable to move. He felt his strength fading very very fast now. Sran didn´t make a move to finish Kai. He was sure that he had the time for that pleasurable business later, now he still wanted the woman. He looked around for another weapon, because his knife still stuck in Kai´s body, he didn´t want to risk another struggle, in the case Kai still hadn´t enough.

He noticed the blaster Xev had thrown over the floor. Almost unhurried he walked over to it and picked it up.

Xev had followed Kais advice not to move, to stay down. So she could follow the fight only partially, the fact that she could see Sran now standing again and coming towards her with a blaster in his hand shocked her. What had happened to Kai? She straightened up again and looked up to Sran, who blocked her sight now. Xev gulped…was this the end? Had Kai failed? Was he dead? Well, if he was, she didn´t see a reason to stay alive too. Xev pressed her back to the wall again, she sighed…she couldn´t remember that they both were ever in such a mess.

Kai bit his teeth together and fought the terrible pain spreading allover his body now. His hand clutched the knife handle, which was right under his last rip. He threw a gaze over to where Xev was anew confronted with Sran. Fear crept into his heart when he saw the blaster in Srans hand. With all his remaining strength he pulled the knife out and ignored the blood and the dizziness. He got somehow to his feet and sneaked up to Sran who had his back in his direction.

Before Sran was able to bring himself in position to shoot, Xev could see a shadow appearing right behind the Pr´kareshs´ back. She needn´t to see Kai, she knew that it was him, then everything happened as fast as lightning. She saw how Kai´s hand grabbed Srans´ chin from behind and with the knife he held in his other, he cut his throat. With a surprised look on his face, Sran fell to his knees and with a final moan he fell back dead, when Kai made a step aside. Xev gulped and looked up at Kai. She could see several scratches and bruises on his handsome face, something she really wasn´t accustomed to. Kai lifted his head and looked at her with an expression she would never forget in her life. The fact that he had killed again seem to hit him right here and now with full force. He dropped his gaze to the dead man and to his own blood covered hands, then he let the knife fell down and closed his eyes for a moment. Xev leaned back on the wall and breathed in sharply, the first audible sound she was able to let out since minutes. Before Xev could say a word, Kai moved like in trance and pulled her into his arms, he lifted her up and carried her out of this hangar. Xev became dizzy again and let her head sank on his shoulder. "Thank you!" she whispered. Kai didn´t answer, he just carried her through the small passageway back into the large room where he had told Ar´ata to evacuate all those people around here. She must have been successful, no one else was here, at least some people who could escape all those death that surely had spread all around the station minutes ago. He knew that they weren´t able to make it back to the main passageways outside, so he hoped that anytime someone would find them in here, even if the chance wasn´t very big, he noticed that the doors to this room were closed and sealed, an evidence that this area counted not as save. He moved over to some boxes and some other material on the floor and laid Xev carefully down to the floor. She needed some medical aid, and if he remembered well, then one of those boxes around should contain such material. In places where technicians were working, those things were inalienable. He spotted the right one five meters away and fetched it. When he bent down, he nearly lost his consciousness. A sharp wave of pain raced through his body and he had to steady himself on the wall. He suppressed a groan and bit on his lips. Not now, Xev needed his help, and he knew that the chance that she was able to call for help was much bigger than his own chances. With every passing minute he grew weaker, and the blood from his wounds already seeped through his clothes. He returned to Xev much slower and sat down next to her.

"Am I still alive?" Xev asked, everything blurred around her, even her stronger side, the lizard couldn´t compensate the horrible pain. She asked herself what kind of weapon Sa´k had used. Her leg felt like completely burnt and broken, even if only the part right under her knee was affected. "Does your leg hurt?" Kai asked, whilst he examined her leg again carefully. "Ouch, damn, yes,…!" Xev screamed and threw an angry look at him, slowly propped herself on her elbows and looked down at her leg. Kai cleaned his hands and commented dry: "That answers your first question…you´re still alive!" "It burns like hell…!" she murmured dazed. Kai took some bandages from the medical kit and a salve. "We need professional medical aid soon, Xev, it´s only first aid…!" he said and concentrated on her leg, not only to bandage it, also to hide his agonized expression. It took him a while before he risked it and looked up again. He finished his first aid, by putting the leg down on a soft piece of something he had found beneath one of the boxes around. Xev sighed and blinked. The salve cooled her leg a bit and took the pain away. Slowly she was able to recognize her environment more clearly. "Thank you!" she said. It was touching how Kai cared about her…not only now, but before too. She shivered when she thought about the fight in the hangar. It was luck that they were able to escape alive. She looked at Kai who sat next to her, his lips pressed together and curved up in a tantalized smile. She noticed that he was unusual pale and he couldn´t hide a slight trembling. He looked so tired, well no wonder, he had fought the first real fight since he was alive. It must have been exhausting and hard… especially to kill again. She bit on her lip when she thought back to his expression. It had been so cold, so emotionless…when he had cut the mans´ throat, but his eyes showed what really lay behind all that. She had seen the cold-blooded killer on the outside, but the worried and nearly desperate man who loved her behind it, in his eyes. The man who exactly knew that she would have died if he hadn´t killed again. She could still see that this act of violence troubled him deeply, but they hadn´t had any other choice, Xev needn´t to tell him that.

She tried to grab his hand but she got out of balance and nearly fell on her back. Kai caught her and drew one of the boxes nearer and shoved it behind her, so she could lean back again.

But this was the last thing Kai was able to do for her. He had to lean on some boxes on her left side, coldness and darkness crept into his mind. "Kai?" he heard Xev´s worried voice from far away. Pain shot again through his body, much intense than before, he groaned, seconds later he started to tremble and sank completely down. Xev was full conscious at once when she saw what happened. "KAI!" a terrified scream came from somewhere deep of her throat and she tried to catch him. She desperately needed to know what happened to her beloved, so Xev ignored her own pain and turned a bit to help him to lie down.

She lay her hand on his back to steady him, but this wasn´t easy with her current handicap.

Then she suddenly felt something warm and wet where she had touched him and withdrew her hand with knitted brows…her fingers were red…terrified she noticed that it was blood – not her own, not the blood of their enemies – it was his blood. Her anxiety grew, what had happened during the fight she hadn´t been able to see?

Kais head sank forward, slowly she let him slid into her lap. His eyes were half open now, beads of sweat formed on his forehead and his breath came intermittent. She noticed that he had pressed his right hand onto his left side, it was red of blood too. Xev gulped and loosened it carefully. The blood was fresh. The second injury he had kept quiet about.

His bloody fingers enclosed hers and he groaned again. "Kai…!" her voice broke. Tears welled up and they started to run down her cheeks. Her mind raced…those injuries, they were surely caused from the knife, but how…? A chilliness took possession of her heart when it became more and more clear to her…could it be…could he really have done that? A new sob came up her throat, her mind tried to understand…but why else should have Kai covered her body with his own, only seconds before she was sure Sran would kill her with is knife! The wound on his back…there he must have hit Kai. The sob escaped her throat…he had saved her life and risked his own, and despite his injury he had fought Sran, must have got the second injury somehow during the struggle, possibly short before Sran had threatened her a second time. Now that she saw the seriousness of his injuries she asked herself how he managed to kill Sran, to take her out of the hangar and cared for her wounds. She shook her head desperately: "No, what…what have…what have you done?" She was used to the fact that he had saved her life many times, that he had protected her life by using his own body to catch deadly energy-blasts…but this was when his body had been dead, decarbonized, invulnerable…now there was a huge difference…but nonetheless he had done it, used his body to catch the knife blows. Softly she stroke over his cheek. Kai´s eyes opened and he smiled weakly: "I…I have promised that I´ll never admit…anything happen to you Xev!" "No Kai, please not…!" she protested, but it was senseless…it was already too late. She could feel his blood wetting her skin. With a short look at the first aid kit, she suddenly moved and with inhuman strength she grasped his body and propped him up, with gritted teeth she opened his jacket and removed it quickly. Kai screamed of pain and surprise because of the sudden movement. Xev did her best to ignore it. "I´m sorry," she murmured and sprawled out to catch the first aid kit. His injuries were indeed very serious and still bleeding. She laid him down again and tried to stop the bleeding with some cloth. But after some minutes it became clear that her efforts were nearly senseless. "That´s not fair!" she sobbed. Kai caught her hand when she took a new cloth. "Don´t…" he said low, "Xev…!" his voice was very weak and he barely was conscious. "You have to get out of here, soon. You have to tell them that Sa´k escaped…that he possibly wants to go back to the Lexx, Stan might be in danger…!" he stopped when a new wave of pain raced through his body. He took a deep breath, hopefully it wasn´t too late. He may have prevented one of the possible things he had seen in his vision, but he wasn´t sure if he was able to influence any other things in the future. He knew, far better than Xev, that his life was about to end without medical aid very soon. And he didn´t saw any possible med-team coming here the next hour. "Why should Sa´k return to the Lexx?" "I don´t know, he has been there before, and we don´t know what he had done in Lexx´ main control room….I´m almost sure that to destroy the station was only a part of their plan…!" Kai stopped and closed his eyes exhausted for a moment. "Shhh, alright, I´ll tell them, I don´t want to happen anything to Stan or the Lexx. Don´t talk too much, you need some rest!" A desperate smile flitted over his face. "I can´t, there´s something else…you remember our discussion with Shereen, on Sha´ra?" he continued. Xev nodded. "We speculated about where the Pr´kresh may got their technology from, their insect technology…" "You said, that someone could have survived the fall of the Cluster, survived the destruction of the light universe, like us…!" Xev said. "Yes…!" Kai was interrupted by a cough. Xev pressed her lips together and took some more bandages and provided his injuries by bandaging them. It would at least stop the wounds from bleeding too much. "Yes, the bombs they used…they´re another proof for that theory. They´re Cluster technology…" another cough. "I…I have used them when I was in the service of His Divine Shadow. Someone with the knowledge of such things must be the one we should concentrate on." "Any ideas?" she asked. Kai shook his head…there was something, he was aware of that, since he had heard the name… Taleron , the name reminded him to something, he had heard it before, he should remember, but he couldn´t catch it, his concentration faded more and more, the pain was already too severe. "Kai?" The BrunnenG almost lost consciousness, hadn´t Xev called him. He was so tired… "Kai…please, say something!" Kai opened his eyes again. "I…," his voice was very weak at once, barely audible. She caught his hand and stroke softly over the back of his hand. "I´ll try to look for help, Kai, my leg still hurts like hell, but it´s nothing, compared with your injuries…!" Kai slowly lifted his hand and pointed at the first aid kit. "You see the syringe?" Xev nodded and picked it up. "It´s a anaesthetic…it numbs your pain if you shot it into your leg…!" Xev looked from Kai to the syringe, then to her leg. After a short moment of hesitation she removed the hood and shot the anaesthetic into her leg. She felt the effect at once. Her pain really was reduced, but another effect was that she couldn´t move her leg…well, with that she could cope somehow. "It works…!" she said. Kai smiled "Of course…" "Couldn´t it help you as well?" she asked and looked for another one. "There was only one inside…and you have better use for it, you´re the one who can at least do something." Xev nodded. He was right, she had to call for help. With a skeptically gaze to the exit she moved and laid Kai down to the floor, slowly she propped herself up, maybe she could crouch…the distance wasn´t big, but with her injured leg it seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle. But she had to make it, Kai´s life depended on it. "Xev…" Kai´s voice held her back. She looked down to him and needed everything to stay calm. He fought hard to stay conscious, but it was obvious that he was about to loose. He stretched out his hand and Xev took it. "I…love you," he whispered softly. Somewhere deep inside he was glad, despite his worse condition. At least he had been able to prevent the things he had seen in his visions. Xev was alive, there was nothing to worry about now.

Xev´s lips trembled and she ignored the tears running down her cheeks again. "I love you too….!" she answered with tear-drowned voice. She bent down to stroke his face, to kiss him. "I´ll call for help, I promise. Please, Kai, please hang on, okay?" "I try…!" Kai said weak. Xev reached for his jacket and covered his body with it. Lovingly she stroke over his face again and looked deep into his pain marked eyes until he closed them and lost his consciousness. Xev let hung her head a moment before she turned and started to crouch across the floor, slowly the door came into reach.

She was glad about the anaesthetic…without it, she was sure that she hadn´t made the first meters. It took her an eternity until she passed half the way…Xev looked back and sighed, no long resting… she advised herself…The anxiety about Kai and the possible decreasing of the anaesthetic let her continue a second later. She reached the door, and of course… it didn´t open. Like Kai before, she assumed that it was closed to reduce the risk of another leak, in the case a bomb would explode in this hangar. It almost happened she muttered to herself. How should I get this damn door open? she asked on. She saw nowhere a mechanism that would open the door…but…wait. Above her on the right side was a plate where something was written on. She couldn´t read it, but the picture on it looked like a mechanism to short-circuit the door if an emergency occurred. Troubled she got up on her right leg and opened the panel with some effort. Under the lid was a button and she pushed it immediately. A snap and fizzling was hearable and she could see the door move a few inches. There was now a gap between the two parts of the door. She got down on her knees again and crouched back to it, put her finger between the gap and tried to shove them apart. The first minute they didn´t move a bit and Xev cursed loudly. "Oh come on, you silly doors, move!" Again she put all her strength into this and suddenly the gap grew bigger and bigger. "Yes, just a little bit…come ooon!" Finally the gap was big enough, so she was able to squeeze through. She didn´t rest to take a breath, her next aim was to find someone who could help them. Outside, the passageway was deserted, nothing lay around like in the service room, where Kai still was, the passageway looked as if it was cleaned…as her gaze wandered to her left side, she understood immediately why.

The rift Yareena had seen on her screens ran exactly twenty meters at Xev´s left side, only an energy field protected the area from the deadly vacuum. Xev gulped, they really really had been lucky. Nevertheless, this area held some danger, anything could happen here, from malfunction of the energy field till a sudden material fatigue…well, she couldn´t imagine how bio-organic material could fatigue, but who knows? It was time to vanish. Suddenly she was sure that she had heard something…voices. Several seconds later she saw someone coming round the edge, she smiled a bit and started to call.

Ar´ata hadn´t counted that so many people were willing to help, but what astonished her most was that suddenly a troop of six security guards appeared, Admiral Te´ran in front...he looked very serious and took her aside. "Yareena told me that you´re one of Dr. Shore´s team members, is that right?" Ar´ata wasn´t able to speak for a moment, she stuttered then: "Ye...Yes, I am, I am Ar´ata." "Okay Ar´ata, don´t worry, if there is someone still alive, we´ll rescue them, but in gods name, please tell me again what you have told Yareena...!" Ar´ata sighed, the same, over and over again...but could she do anything else? No, this was Te´ran, the Presidents husband and highest Admiral in their fleet. So she told him what happened in the service room, what Kai had told her. Te´ran nodded from time to time, his face got very grim when he listened to what Kai had told her. Ar´ata stopped. "What more?" Te´ran asked. "Nothing more, then I told the people to leave and told them to tell everyone they meet on the way out that there was a security problem and that they should stay away from the hangars. Then I informed Yareena, only minutes before the explosions started. That´s all," she ended. "Well done, but I assume that we have to find Xev or Kai to know more about this case...if they are still alive." "I was just on the way to find exactly this out!" Ar´ata said. "Well, then let us waste no time, I see that you already have some paramedics with you, let´s go!" Te´ran pointed into the passageway. "And for what are those guys?" Ar´ata asked and pointed at his six security guards. "Hopefully we won´t need them, just in case, and of course to investigate what had happened in this hangar!" "Ah...!" Ar´ata nodded and started to walk.

One of the security officers always was some steps ahead to evaluate the risk, because the rift was really close to them know. When the pictures didn´t lie, then it would cross the passageway several meters behind the entrance to hangar 645. Ar´ata looked up when the security guard came back and waved hectically. "There´s someone in the passageway, the door to the service room of hangar 645 is slightly opened…" The crewmembers quickened their pace and moved around the corner. "That´s Xev,….wow…!" Ar´ata nearly stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the glinting energy field only 20 meters away from the entrance. "This I call luck!" Te´ran was relieved when he saw Xev waving at them and run at her side.

Xev recognized Ar´ata and Te´ran at once: "You´re late," she smirked. "Better late than never…" Te´ran waved for the paramedic when he saw Xevs injury, but Xev shook her head: "No, Kai´s inside…he needs more help than I, he´s critically injured, please…!" The paramedic looked inquiring at Te´ran. The Admiral nodded and pointed to the door: "Alright, look after him first!" The paramedic followed the other security officers who already entered the service room together with the rest of the rescue team. "Is everyone okay on the station?" Xev asked. Ar´ata got very serious and answered. "No, we still don´t know how many victims we have to mourn, but Yareena estimate them about six hundred till one thousand five hundred." "That´s horribly, I´m sorry for that…!" "It is horribly, but without your warning we´re sure that there had been a lot more. We only had minutes, but every second counted, and it was enough to save more lives…" Ar´ata told her. Xev gulped: "Then you were twice lucky…only the half of the bombs exploded…!" Te´ran and Ar´ata got paler than pale. "What?" Xev nodded. "We stopped a possible second series after the first one was ignited. It was Kai´s desert, he killed two of those Pr´karesh terrorists. The third one escaped, unfortunately, it seems that he had have time enough to get through the passageway before the rift emerged." "Pr´karesh? Are you sure?" Te´ran asked with narrowed eyes. Xev nodded: "Kai is." "And one of them escaped?" Another nod. "Yes, you know him, it´s Sa´k…!" she said to Ar´ata. Ar´ata´s eyes widened in disbelief…"Sa´k? Well that´s a thing! My god, and this guy worked along with us on the Lexx…I can´t get it!" Xev propped herself up when she heard Ar´ata mention the Lexx: "Please tell Stan what happened…maybe Sa´k wants to return to the Lexx, Kai is the opinion that he may had a plan to do so!" Xev wanted to get up, but her legs failed her. "Hey, slowly. It´s better when the paramedics take care of you!" Xev lay back exhausted. "There´s nothing you can do, Xev." Ar´ata said. "That´s what I was afraid of...!" "I´ll go and inform Dr. Shore´, so he can inform Stanley." "Good idea, thank you Ar´ata!" Te´ran said and Ar´ata nodded, before she left she patted Xev´s shoulder to lift her mood a bit. "Bye!" Xev said weak. She was really tired know. Te´ran looked inquiring at Xev: "Maybe you can tell me everything that happened...!" Te´ran said. Xev shrunk her shoulders. She knew that it could be important and she told him everything she knew. She left out the painful things that happened to Kai. It didn´t seem important to her to describe the horrible fight between them. When she ended, Te´ran stayed silent for a moment. "I assume that Kai is right, they were Pr´karesh, and it´s bad news that one of them could escape. I´m not sure what all this means, but it´s shocking that the war has arrived here now." Te´ran waved at some new approaching paramedics. "They will take care about you, they´ll transport you and Kai to Arcan´s, the med-center is already alarmed and ready to take in victims. I´ll inform Stanley as soon as possible where he can find you! And now...I have a date with two dead bodies...!" He said grimly and took a leave. Xev nodded thankfully and lay back. She was now really too tired to think about anything, the exhaustion demanded its price and she fell unconscious.

Te´ran entered the service hall where the security guards and some other paramedics were busy. He risked a short look over to Xev´s friend. They had already prepared him for the transport, but on their faces he could read worry. Doesn´t look good , he thought. One of his team members appeared next to him and handed him a bag with a blood-covered knife. "Captain Feran is the opinion that this might be of some interest." "What´s that?" Te´ran asked and took it. "It´s the weapon one of the Pr´karesh was killed with, but in a discussion with the paramedics it´s also the same weapon he was injured with." Feran´s officer pointed back at Kai. "Feran told me to handle this weapon with caution." "Ok, thank you..." Te´ran said with knitted brows and opened the bag, carefully he took the knife out and took a closer look. "Stop!" he called after Feran´s officer. The man stopped. "He was injured with THIS?" The man nodded and looked inquiring at Te´ran. "Oh my...god," That was all what Te´ran brought out, he waved the guard away and started to walk over to the paramedics, which were about to leave. Te´ran stopped one of them and showed him the knife. "Is it true?" he asked. The paramedic nodded grimly. "Yes, he was pierced twice with it...we´ll take him to Arcan´s now, but a lot of time passed since it happened...!" He apologized and hurried after his team. Te´ran looked back at the knife with horror. Centuries had passed since he saw this kind of weapon for the first, and he had hoped for the last time. It became clear to him that he would never have the chance to ask the former owner where he had got it from.

But he knew that the only way to get such a thing was from the black market, there were still some crazy people who loved to own such a deadly thing. The question was of course how a Pr´karesh could own such a thing, because it originated from Arcan´s. He remembered with a knot in his gut what he had learned about this weapon.

Of course, this weapon wasn´t an ordinary knife. It was called a Dro´-knife and was a very unique weapon used millennia ago as ceremony knife. Rumors told that they were leftovers from the insect wars and that it once had been part of an insect weapon.

The purpose it was used for, admittedly wasn´t something the Arcannea were very proud of:

The Dro´-knives were used for the execution of criminals, mostly slayers. To fulfill the death sentence was one thing, to do it with this knife another. The sentenced wasn´t killed by getting cut his throat with it, or stabbed, no, he simply got some cuts with it – this was enough. The blade was covered with a special coating, and this coating had a fatal effect to anyone's organism. The toxin contained in this coating was set free when it came in contact with human blood. From there it spread all over the body, every cell was infected and caused a slow, painful death. The victim hadn´t died because of the toxin, he had died by the result – unbearable agony. It often took them days or weeks to die. It was a cruel method of execution and 6000 years ago the Arcannea decided to abolish it. The reason had been an innocent sentenced man, whose innocence was proofed the second day of his execution. There wasn´t an antidote to reverse the effect, because the scientists never had found one – there never was needed one. Maybe the rumors were right and it really had been part of an insect weapon, ´cause this would explain the inability to find an antidote. This tragic event finally was the reason for the abolishment.

The knives were destroyed, but of course, several of them vanished somewhere, there were enough sick people who collected such things.

Carefully he gave it to one of the waiting guards- before he cut himself by accident.

Just as he was about to hope that they at least could cope with the injuries of their both guests, such an unexpected kind of catastrophe had to happen. There was no doubt that he had to contact Shereen as soon as possible. She had her own sorrows at the moment, but he knew how important the security of their guests was…after all they had discussed the evening and after all Kai, Xev and Stan had done for them, he really felt sorry that such a thing happened now. He felt even more bad when he thought that they had prevented another disaster for the Arcannea. He never had met people who had risked their own lives to help other people they only knew for a few days. Maybe because of the relationship of Kai´s and their ancestors, or because he and his girlfriend were simply very brave people.

Te´ran sighed and walked to the exit, better no one crossed his way now. He told Captain Feran that they should take the dead Pr´karesh to the coroner and that he wanted to keep updated if any news emerged. Then he left for Yareenas bureau, he had to talk to his wife and he had to care about the unsolved Sa´k-problem.

Sa´k had used the chaos after the explosions to get back to the Lexx undiscovered. He took one of the many shuttles and flew back. It seemed to be his lucky day, because no one took notice when he entered the Lexx and he was able to hide somewhere deep inside the Lexx…waiting for his time to complete the task he was sent for.

Stanley and Shore´ were clearly shocked when the Lexx informed them about the huge explosion and the technicians aboard wanted to go back immediately. But Stanley ordered the Lexx to fly a good distance away from the station, half an hour later the message from Ar´ata reached them.

"They did what?" Stanley asked perplexed. Ar´ata made a face and repeated the most important facts, including Sa´ks disappearance. "They must have got insane…risking their lives…" Stan muttered, "About this Sa´k, we´ll keep our eyes open, so far no one noticed any approaching or landing shuttle the past minutes, well, to be honest, I´m sure no one really kept an eye on it, but I ordered the Lexx to keep a much bigger distance to the station, at least until the worst danger is over." Stan explained. "That´s a good idea. As soon as Te´ran or I know more about Kai´s and Xev´s condition we´ll contact you. For the moment Yareena advised me to tell you to stay where you are…!" Stan listened attentively: "Gads, I really forgot her, is Yareena alright?" "She is, see you Stanley," Ar´ata closed the channel and Stan sunk back to his command pedestal. Shore´ moved next to him, he had heard most of the communication. He still was pale. "I think, we should be more than ever motivated to finish our research…we quickly need something to defeat those Pr´karesh, before they start to blow up everything around us." Stan looked at him. "Yes, maybe you should…!" he said lost in thoughts. He was in worry about Kai and Xev. Ar´ata hadn´t told him in detail what happened to them, she only had told him that they got injured whilst preventing a bigger catastrophe. Only the fact that they had succeeded in preventing the worst calmed him. He really wanted to know how they really are. Fortunately 790 wasn´t around, he surely would have started to weep and howl about his precious Xev now and therefore getting on his nerves. "Lexx!" he called the big bugship. "Yes Stanley…!"

"Please inform me when any shuttle appears and wants to enter…!" "Should I destroy it?" the Lexx asked back, a soft eagerness in his voice. Oh yes, the Lexx loved to blow up things. "Not this time. Just inform me, okay?" "Yes Stan." "Thank you! This should protect us from any unwelcome guests," he said to Shore´. "If this Sa´k isn´t aboard yet! If he is that clever to fool us all, including blowing up the station in the middle of our own territory, we shouldn´t rule that out, Captain!" Stan looked around a bit anxious. "Well, then I suggest no one of us should walk anywhere around alone and should keep his eyes peeled," Stan said a bit uneasy. The thought of an invader left some discomfort in his guts. "Then we should return to our laboratory together, you shouldn´t stay alone here on the bridge." Stanley nodded and both men left the bridge.


	19. Bad news

Chapter 18

Bad news

The Lexx informed Stanley some time later that there was indeed a shuttle on its way to enter the Lexx, but soon it got clear that it was no threat. Yareena had sent a security team aboard to check the Lexx for a possible invader. This decision relieved Shore´s team and Stanley, they hadn´t expected that so soon. And in Stan´s situation, it was the best thing that could happen. Since the news about Kai and Xev being injured in this attack reached him, he was at constant sorrow and he was relieved that he now had the opportunity to get down to the planet to look for them. Shore´ agreed to go with him, cause his work was progressing very fast and he was sure that his team could act without him easily at the moment.

Some minutes later, Shore´, Stan and 790 were on their way down to Arcan´s with one of the moths. "It´s all your fault, Tweedle, oh my poor Xev, my goddess…!" 790 wept. "Don´t be silly, 790, is it my fault that her hormones aren't under control and she decides to leave the ship to be alone with Kai? And let me say that additionally, tin can, if they hadn´t left, much worse things would have happened!" Stan said angered. 790 stayed silent for a few seconds. "So she is a heroine, she has prevented worse things….oh my Xev….I will dedicate a new poem to you…at once….Xev, you heroine, savior of my life…of my love….!" "Oh shut up 790, no one is interested in it…!" Stan intermitted. "It is not meant for your deaf ears, meat bag…you´re right!" 790 growled and changed into standby modus. "He´s really enervating sometimes, isn´t he?" Shore´ commented unnecessarily. Stan only made a face.

The Med-Center on Arcan´s was a real huge complex. Shore´ explained Stanley that it consisted of hundreds of specialist departments and was able to take in nearly half a million people. Stanley couldn´t imagine it before he saw it. When they piloted to the landing area (the Med-Center had its very own airport), he was really surprised about the huge main building and those other buildings attached to it. Not all were directly built next to it, there were smaller buildings far away from the main building, connected to each other with a fast train line, and the whole thing seem to range to the horizon. It was awesome. "Thousands of years of medical research brought together to an area that is a town of its own," Shore´ said with glinting eyes. "We´re very proud of it." Stanley nodded. "I think you can be…I´ve never seen something like that!" Shore´ pointed to a special area on the airport: " We have the permission to land there Stanley. Te´ran will pick us up and take us to your friends." "Why isn´t he on the station, I mean, after all this mess…!" "He´s the commander of our fleet, not an investigator or responsible for security, that´s Yareenas job. But he is concerned about your security, because you´re the guests of our government. So he got involved in this and I´m sure there must be something important that he wants to tell us, otherwise he won´t be there." Shore´ said.

And true, Te´ran waited in the greeting hall of the airport they entered after leaving their moth on the airfield. There was a lot of traffic, what really wasn´t a surprise after the attack at the space station. Stanley had already seen many transports all around the Med-Center complex and here, inside the building, he could see victims and relatives taken in and hurrying to wherever the physicians and paramedics led them. Te´ran took them aside and led them to a small room where they were able to talk in private. "What happened?" Stanleys first question was when he saw the worried and not very happy expression on Te´rans face. "How are they?" Te´ran sighed. "Xev is fine, depending on the circumstances. The physicians have already dealt with her injury. She got a painful shot into her left leg. It was one of the regular energy weapons. Not a big thing. It´ll take some time for her to walk properly again, but there won´t be any complications. Those injuries are well known here." Stan was relieved and 790´s screens popped on again. "Ohhhh, my sweetheart will be alright. I knew it. Where´s she? I want to see her!" demanded the robot head. "Later 790," Stan growled. "You have to be patient. She is still sleeping, and this status won´t change until tomorrow, sorry." Te´ran added and looked back at Stan. There was one person left, and he waited for the inevitable question. "And Kai?" asked Stan. Te´ran pressed his lips together. "Better to sit down, Captain," He offered a chair to Stanley. Shore´ as well as Stan got a nuance paler. Stan sat down. It seemed that Shore´ had been right as he referred to something important when Te´ran was here to meet with them. But he never thought that it might have something to do with his friends. "The situation for Kai is a lot more serious. He was injured with an ancient weapon during the fight on the station. A deadly ancient weapon called a Dro´ knife." Te´ran didn´t hesitate to get to the point. It was senseless to retard the seriousness of the situation. Stan appalled. "This weapon is proscribed!" Shore´ said hoarse. "What does that mean?" Stan asked confused. Te´ran sighed, it wasn´t easy for him to talk about this barbaric weapon his people once had used for executions. But Stan deserved the truth and there was no reason why he shouldn´t tell him. So he explained him what happened and what kind of a weapon the Dro´-knife was. Stan stayed silent for a long time. He was frightened to the core. He hadn´t expected such a turnout. "How is he at the moment?" he finally had the courage to ask. "Not very good. The physicians try their best. Especially Dr Noraan, he´s our best specialist in exceptional medical cases. But we all have to admit that there´s not much hope that we´re able to help him…or to cure him. As I told you, we never found any antidote for this poison. I´m very sorry that there are no better news, Stanley." Te´ran said low. When he learned the kind of Kai´s injury on the station, he had already been sure about the outcome. But the final prognosis here had despite been a shock. Dr Noraan had been very definitive about it. "Does Xev know about it?" Stan asked. Te´ran shook his head. "She´s without conscious since she has left the station." Stan sighed and looked down to the ground. The statement Te´ran made about Kai´s situation sounded hopelessly definitive. He was sorry for that, very sorry. He started to like the former dead man more and more from day to day. Kai had grown a lot more accessible over the past months and this also had reduced Stan´s former fear to zero. He always had been afraid of the deadly assassin, regardless if he was on their side…the deadly potential inside him was still there and he had felt it more than one time on his very own body.

But what would this mean to Xev? Stan buried his face in his hand. The beautiful love-slave was so completely in love with him, so happy now that Kai was able to feel, to share her love…and this should now be the end? He didn´t know how to tell her, but he knew that he had no choice…no one else would do that. Poor Xev. Wasn´t it enough that she had have an unlucky youth, for a long time had been in love without the hope to be loved back? And now everything that she had achieved by pure hope and will should fall apart again? Turn to dust? He felt like a henchman waiting to be taken to his victim. "Am I allowed to see her?" he asked with a heavy heart. "Of course. I´ll take you there. If you need anything else, the nurses there will help you. I have explained them your situation and everything you request will be taken care about. Shore´ and I will return to the station and continuing our work, including the search for Sa´k. It´s the least we can do." Stan nodded and the three men and 790 left the small room. They took him to another building with the fast train line and showed him Xev´s current domicile. A small, but friendly room. The lights were shut down, so her sleep wasn´t disturbed. Te´ran and Shore´ said farewell to Stan and then he was alone with her and 790.

"Oh my Xev…!" 790 whined. Xev lay in a bed, her injured leg was put up a bit and thickly bandaged. She was indeed still sleeping and wasn´t able to hear 790´s cant. Stan silenced the head and put him down on the desk on the opposite of the bed and sat down on a chair. He watched Xev´s sleep for a while and started again to ask himself how to tell her. Fortunately 790 kept his mouth shut and watched Xev in silence. Over all that thinking he finally got more and more tired and dozed off.

Xev still was somehow caught in the nightmare of her fight. She re-experienced the moment when Kai had saved her life again and again. How he had taken her to safety – although he was badly injured. She again experienced the bitter taste in her mouth when he finally broke down in her arms, barely able to stay conscious. She really needn´t this kind of proof to be reminded that he truly was a mortal human being now – not any longer a kind of immortal machine. It was so unfair…

The sorrow and thoughts hunted her until she wakes. Somehow disorientated and dizzy she awoke in a foreign bed and room. Despite the diminished light, she recognized the sleeping red clad figure at the table. "Oh Xev, my heroine….she´s wake!" she heard 790 cheering and noticed the robot head on the desk. "Hello 790," she said smiling. Stan grunted and woke up too. "What…? Oh 790 shut up, you someday will surely kill my drumhead with your cant." "Why not kill yourself…then you surely won´t have any troubles anymore!" Xev shook her head. The both always remind her of two struggling spigots. "It´s enough 790, Stan´s right." "But love-pumpkin…that´s not fair…!" Xev rolled her eyes. Stan rose and shoved the chair next to her bed. "Off, 790, it´s really enough!" "But…but, why don´t you switch Tweedle off!" "790…I´m not in the mood to discuss with you…off!" 790 sniveled and his screens went black.

Stan pointed to her leg. "Seems that you´re still whole, hm?" He said. "Think so, yes, ouch, that still HURTS!" Xev growled. She put her hand on her leg and stroke over the bandages. "What the heck happened on the station, Xev, we only saw the big POW, and then the complete chaos started. Te´ran told me that you were immense lucky that the part you have been in wasn´t destroyed as well. If, it could have torn the complete station apart." Xev sighed and explained: "Yes, you´re right. When I left the hangar I saw the big rift that ran through the station right next to our position. It´s not a calming sensation if you see that the only thing that separates you from space is a thin energy field." Stan nodded. Xev stayed silent for a moment, then she told him how the whole thing started, all about Kais suspect, how they tracked Sa´k and revealed the Pr´karesh terrorists plans. "We fought those guys and somehow we prevented the worst…otherwise I won´t be here now. That´s the whole story, Stan." Stan patted her hand to calm her, the whole re-telling had churned her up again and a long moment of silence arose. Stan didn´t know how to start, how to tell her about Kai´s situation. He knew that the question about him would emerge now…it was too obvious that Xev had avoided any clear description about their fight…she knew that he was injured.

"Stan…," Xev´s voice broke through the silence and Stan looked up, avoided to look directly into her eyes. "Where´s Kai? How´s he?" she asked low. Stan´s thoughts whirled…slowly and as if he wasn´t himself he started to tell her everything Te´ran had told him only hours ago. He wasn´t able to look into her face when he did so.

Xev tried to stay composed, but her eyes gave her away too quickly. They were glinting with unshed tears and when Stan explained her how hopeless Te´ran had sounded, she started to cry. "No," she said. "No—ohooo," her tears flew freely over her cheek now. "Are you sure?" Stan nodded sad and put an arm around her shoulder, tried to comfort her. Xev´s head sunk on his shoulder and she flogged a dead horse to get calm again. "I…I have to see him, please Stan, let us go to him," she finally said. "But…your leg…!" Stan objected hesitating. "…doesn´t matter at the moment," she said bullheaded and sat up, pulled her bandaged leg out of the bed as well as her healthy one, ignoring the pain. Stan knew that it was senseless to argue with her and looked around for something that would help her to walk. He discovered a crook, leaning against the wall next to her bed and handed it to her. No one wasted any thought about the robot head on the desk, which still was shut off. "This should do, come on, I´ll support you!" He helped Xev out of bed and she based herself on his arm when he led her out of the room and down the corridor. How Te´ran promised, the nurses were very willingly to help. When they were spotted in the corridor, one of the nurses asked at once where they want to go, especially when she recognized Xev´s condition. Xev made a face and explained her hastily what they were up to. The nurse's face went serious, she was well informed about the status of these people and their friends´ situation. Without any further hesitation and word, she led them to another area of the building, which wasn´t far away, but well-defined.

"This is our intensive care unit. After the incident on the space station it is a bit overcrowded, cause we have so many people with dangerous injuries…normally we take care that this area is as less crowded as possible and silent too, but I think in this actual situation it´s senseless. When you enter, you´ll see what I mean. Kai is in room no 8." The nurse opened the door and let them enter.

The atmosphere behind the door was indeed strange. A lot of people were out on the corridor, as well as in the rooms. Some doors, leading to small rooms, were open and they were able to hear crying and words of comfort everywhere. Nurses took care of relatives, which were sitting desperate outside the rooms. Xev pressed her lips together and asked herself when she was going to join them.

In front of room no 8, they saw two people talking to each other. One of them was a physician, the other person was a nurse. The nurse agreed to something and walked away, a strange glance at them when she passed. As they reached the door, the doctor turned and looked inquiring at them. "Where do you want to go?" he asked. Xev pointed wordlessly at the door. "You´re relatives?" he asked, slowly understanding. Te´ran had told him about the beautiful woman with a leg injury and another man in a red jumpsuit. Stan nodded. "Yes, you can call us …relatives…! I´m Stanley H. Tweedle." "Xev Bellringer," Xev added low. "Oh, I see. Te´ran told me about you. My name is Dr Noraan." Xev pointed again to the door. "What´s…what´s with him?" she asked desperately. Te´ran offered her one of the chairs in front of the door and she grateful sat down on it, her eyes still fixed at the closed door. Noraan sighed. "We tried everything to isolate the poison in his body, but…. without success. It was already too late. The poison is now spreading from cell to cell and from there allover his body. It´s an unstoppable process…much worse than any known disease. I guess Te´ran had told you about the purpose of this damn weapon he was injured with…Yes, he had." Noraan nodded when he saw the sadness on both faces. "I´m very sorry that I don´t have better news for you…our best physicians tried it." He lowered his head, a bit ashamed. It was a bitter defeat. With all the modern medical knowledge they had…there still hasn´t been any clue to find a working antidote for that poison. "That means?" Xev asked with wide opened eyes. "He will die," Noraan said as softly as he could. He was used to such situations, they were always worse, he always tried to lock his own emotions away when he had to tell relatives the upcoming death of a loved one, but sometimes it didn´t work at all. He sometimes really hated his job. Xev gulped and tried not to loose her composure. Stan put his hands on her shoulder and asked: "And there is really no possibility to change that fact?" Noraan shook his head slowly. "The poison on this weapon is absolutely lethal. Throughout the ages no one has ever discovered an antidote…the only thing we now can do, is to reduce the pain, which will spread through his body and increase over time. I´m really terribly sorry." Xev lowered her head. There was only one thing she wanted now…to see Kai. In whatever condition he was in…she urgently needed to see her beloved. "Let me go, please, I want to be with him, now!" She rose from the seat and humbled to the door. Stan immediately wanted to support her. "Alone!" She said and looked pleading at Stan. "Okay…I…understand, I´ll wait here then!" Stan said hesitating and withdrew his hands, stayed back. "Thank you," whispered Xev and Noraan opened the door. "Please call me if you have need of me," he said and left them alone right after. Xev nodded and entered the shaded room.


	20. A hopeless situation

Chapter 19

A hopeless situation

Xev rested on her crook and waited until Stan had closed the door. Her eyes slowly got accustomed to the weak light in the room. Slowly she humbled to the bed she had spotted in the back. Several devices were put behind the bed and were diagnosing Kais condition. A weak, pale light above enlightened the area, at least she was able to see the shades of his body. Xev put the crook aside and clinged to the bed. With the other hand she felt her way up, reached his arm, his shoulder, then her fingers finally stroked softly over his cheek. She noticed immediately his increased temperature and felt the sweat on his skin.

"Kai?" she whispered and lit the light up a bit. Xev was shaken to the core when she saw her beloved lying in front of her. He was covered with a thin blanket, which was shoved down a bit. Xev couldn´t see any sign of his injuries left, but…the worst impact wasn´t visible. Softly she put the blanket back to its original position.

"Oh, Kai…" she gulped hard when she looked up into his so clearly agonized face. Straws of his hair were glued to his sweaty face and she stroked them aside gently. After a moment she felt him stirring, and then he turned his head. Xev´s hand rested on his cheek and he pressed it a bit more into her palm. He panted heavily. "Kai…," Xev´s eyes filled with tears, her heart nearly broke when she looked at him, when the thoughts came about what he had done…

"Why?" She asked low and desperate. He sighed and opened his eyes to look at her. "I don´t want…. you to…lie here," he said troubled. "But…!" Xev objected. "Shsh…" Kai lifted his hand and put it over hers. "One time is…enough." Xev lowered her gaze. She should have known that he had never forgotten the day when she had sacrificed her very own life to safe his dead existence. As much as he always had tried to let them think that he was a dead man with no motivation and obligation…he had never forgotten such things.

Kai closed his eyes for a brief moment, as a wave of pain flooded through his body. He bit his teeth together, didn´t want to let Xev know how worse the pain already was. Xev sat down at the edge of his bed and laid her head on his shoulder. "The doctor said, that...that you…" her voice faded. "…will die?" he finished the sentence calm. Xev nodded – it was if her innermost would be torn apart any moment. "It is indeed a…strange irony, when you think about the purpose of this…weapon." He whispered and put his arms around her. "I don´t want you to die, Kai, that´s not fair, you don´t deserve that, " Xev cried out, tears started to stream down her cheeks and Kai felt them dropping down on his skin. "Xev," Kai put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her softly up, so he was able to look into her face. "I think this decision is beyond our power…life – and death - aren´t always fair." He stayed silent for a moment. The fact that he was confronted with his own death again, didn´t disturb him much. The thought of dying wasn´t alien to him, and if he was honest…he greeted it. Kai´s doubts about the desert of this new life had always been far bigger than anything else. Alone the fact to get killed by such a weapon, once used to execute criminals, wasn´t only an irony to him - it fortified his doubts. Xev of course would see that much different. "Fate holds a lot of irony, Xev. Maybe I am the worst criminal ever who is going to be killed with this weapon." He said aloud. Xev looked horror-stricken at him. How for heavens sake could he think like that? She looked into his handsome face, currently marked with agony, an agony he hadn´t expressed loudly yet. His eyes showed this heart-breaking mixture of pain and sadness and Xev started to sob: "I don´t want to see you die, Kai, I´m almost sure that this couldn´t be the reason…," she cried. "We have had so less time together!" Kai sighed low. "Every single day with you was more I ever expected…I always knew that this won´t last forever. Fate would never allow that. Nothing in life – or death, is left unatoned. So I´m more than grateful for the time, we had together, Xev, even if it was that short. You showed me what it meant to be alive again, you showed me how to love again…it is more I ever deserve…" Kai stopped talking, slowly he loosened his grip on her shoulders and closed his eyes. Xev supported herself quickly on the bed, prevented to fell down onto him.

She shook her head when she heard him talking like that. Kai wasn´t able to hold out much longer, the small and short effort to hold Xev up had caused immense exhaustion and pain. He felt a heavy wave of pain rolling through his body and lost his carefully upheld control. Kai groaned and his fingers clenched the blanket fiercely. Xev pulled him quickly into her arms and tried to give him at least a little bit of comfort to soothe the pain she really wasn´t able to take away from him. The medical supply-unit did it several seconds later by increasing the amount of painkiller. Xev looked at the small device with the drug and asked herself how much longer this will diminish his pain. How long would this drug be effective? No one knew exactly how much pain a human being was able to bear before he dies…this was very varying. How long would it take until Kai dies from the unbearable pain when the drugs turn out to be useless? Was there really no way to spare him this? Was there really no way for an antidote? There had to be something…she didn´t want to admit an end like that. Never. "I will find a way, Kai, I will try everything to find something that will heal you…!" Xev sounded very serious and certain, even if her voice was trembling. Kai had to smile a little when the pain faded. "You never give up, Xev, don´t you?" Xev shook her head fiercely. "Had the hope that you got alive again been futile? Senseless? I doubt that. Everyone might have called me crazy, but I believed in it, and I was right. You´re alive again. Why should I give up hope now?" She looked very upset at him. She couldn´t understand Kai´s disinterest in his soon ending life. She was sure that he never had expected to be alive again…but didn´t he get accustomed to it in the end, hadn´t he said that he enjoyed it to love again? And now there was this disinterest again, like in the beginning, when he did few to preserve this life.

Kai was sorry that Xev was that desperate. He knew exactly how she felt. And this hurt him much more than his own physical pain. His own life meant little to him, but he knew that this time his true death would leave a lot of pain and desperation behind. This was the only thing he really was sorry for – this, and to leave Xev behind like that. He was now so close to his biggest wish again: to die once and for all, to finally take the path into the DreamZone. The true death that was denied to him so long. It made him sad that Xev couldn´t see it in this way. She always had cared so much about him, but never saw his need for deliverance in this kind. But he couldn´t condemn her…the love she felt was simply too strong, too strong to give him up. He searched for some comforting words for his tortured beloved…he didn´t find a way to express it in the sometimes real simple and rough standard language….

"Sait va ta ray, darunee!"

He lifted his hand and touched her tear stroked face. It was an eternity that he had used those words to anyone…and he was a bit surprised how fluently they still run over his lips and how they still were able to express what was in his heart. Xev looked astonished and inquiring at him. It was the very first time she heard him using his native language towards anyone. Although she didn´t understand the meaning of the words, the wonderful sound of them touched her. It sounded important and honest. Sadness gripped her again when she realized that with his death this would also vanish forever…everything the BrunnenG once had been. "What…what does it mean?" she asked. Kai smiled bravely when a new wave of pain started to emerge from somewhere deep inside his body. He fought it back and answered: "It´s difficult to translate…as the language of the BrunnenG is a bit more complicate than the standard language. But, I think I can express it like that…" he paused a moment, and stroked softly over her cheek again. "My heart will forever be yours, sweetheart." Xev smiled and blushed. The sound of the words really hit the meaning. Kai looked into her eyes and both shared a long moment completely lost in each other's eyes. The moment didn´t take long…suddenly Xev noticed a change in Kai´s expression.

His hand fell back and he closed his eyes when the pain he successfully had fought back before returned with tripled intensity. He felt himself losing the fight. "Xev…!" he whispered, her name not more than a weak breath. Xev touched his shoulders and bent over his body. "Kai? What is it? Please, say something…" She climbed onto the bed and stroke over his hot skin. He opened his eyes, looked more than desperate into her green eyes. Then Xev felt his body tensing under her fingers and the BrunnenG started to scream under the overwhelming intensity of agony. Xev pulled him completely into her arms and held his trembling body tight until the drugs arrested his agony. Xev wanted to scream as well. To see Kai in this condition was so cruel and bitter for her. Xev pressed his body close to hers and stroked and caressed him until she felt him relaxing and his breath getting calmer. She put him softly down and stroked some of the black straws out of his face…his chest raised and fell troubled. When he opened his tightly closed eyes again, tears ran down his cheek and he said hoarsely and nearly crying: "It hurt so much…!" Xev nestled closer to him, took his hand. "I won´t admit an end like that, Kai, I swear that!" she said desperately. She knew that there was no possibility in sight how she was able to make her oath come true, but she was more than ever determined to find a way.

Kai didn´t respond. If it gave Xev a little bit of hope, he didn´t want to take this away from her. He didn´t want her to break up upon his death. The life inside him, his vitality was something he owed her. There was more he wanted to say to her…but words would never be able to express what he felt. He had called her darunee , the most tender and important word a BrunnenG would ever use for his beloved. He had once used it to only one other person in his life…a woman long gone and dead. He had sworn himself at these times that no one else would ever be called darunee besides her. But how little he knew at these times…! With the dead existence he had to go on with, it seemed that there truly would never be someone on his side again. But he was wrong. Even in death Xev loved him with a never understandable passion…a passion that, seen through her eyes, she thought will never be returned. Again something he was wrong with. They were indeed a strange couple – but something united them. They both were unique. He was the last of his people and she was the first and last love slave with Clusterlizard DNA. Both had met under the strangest circumstances one could ever imagine, and both had spent most of their life/existence alone. Both suffered in a kind of way of their never fulfilled wishes…until the day the unimaginable happened…the day he became alive again.

It was as if the accident that had put them together wasn´t an accident at all. Maybe there was a reason he hadn´t revealed yet. Or was it some kind of mercy that was granted to him? Or rather another kind of punishment…to let him crave for love and forgiveness…only to die again with the full capability to feel and the knowledge that these sweet moments will never return to him for what he had done in the service of the divine order? He didn´t know…maybe he never would…

"I love you Kai!" Her voice rang through his train of thoughts and he felt a soft, electrifying sensation in his stomach when she kissed him. He responded with the little strength that was left to him and opened his eyes to look into her tear-blurred eyes. "Don´t cry, Xev, please," he whispered against her lips. "Don´t let us waste the rest of the time that is left to me with crying and discussing about inevitable things…it´s hard enough for both of us." He said soft-spoken. Xev nodded slowly: "I know…I know…!" "That´s much better…" he said, smiling slightly when she wiped the tears from her face. "I´m tired Xev, I think I try to get some sleep…I suggest that you do the same…!" Xev nodded and smiled tantalized: "I´m here if you need me, I don´t leave you alone…!" "I know Xev…!" Kai closed his eyes and was asleep only few seconds later, the exhaustion had demanded its price. Xev covered him with the blanket and let him rest. She rose and humbled over to the couch she had spotted when she entered the room. Deep in thoughts she sat down, her eyes never leaving the sleeping figure of her beloved BrunnenG.

The next two days passed without anything remarkable. There were no good news on anything. Kai fought on against the increasing pain, Xev always on his side. Stan and 790 had returned to the Lexx after the security team had announced that no one else was aboard the Lexx. Sa´k stayed invisible, no one knew where he had vanished to.

Shore´s project had fortunately been unaffected by that and his team had been able to complete their research. They left the Lexx and returned to their own research facilities to put the won data into something they could use. So Stan was again nearly alone on board, Yareena had left a fistful of security guards aboard, but with Sa´k running around somewhere outside he considered the Lexx to be the safest place. Although he was happy that Xev had announced to visit him today.

Xev indeed wanted to visit the Lexx, in hope to find something aboard with what she may could help Kai. On Arcan´s she only could be at Kai bed, and this of course wouldn´t lead to any useful idea. Maybe there was something aboard she still hadn´t thought of.

Kai hadn´t been all to eager about her idea. He didn´t comment her mission with a word, he just looked at her in his former impassive manner. In those moments she was close to burst with anger…the indifference about his soon ending life reminded her more to the dead Kai. She couldn´t imagine that someone was happy about the idea to _die_! But sometimes it occurred to her, that a part of Kai was. She couldn´t understand this. His whole behavior confused her a lot…why would he want to die? It was sometimes her inner voice that tried to give an answer: The fact that Kai was a 6000-year-old human being that never had had the chance to die his predetermined death. This now sounded reasonable enough to embrace the chance to die once and for all, but….no, she really couldn´t imagine this. So she shoved those thoughts back and ignored them.

Xev left the hospital, after asking Dr Noraan to inform her whenever there were signs of aggravation. Besides, she would be back the evening. Then she took the moth Stanley had sent her with one of the moth breeders.

Stan was really happy about her arrival and the change in companionship. "Ah, Xev, you know…" Stan started, when they walked through the corridor towards the bridge, "I really miss the old times, traveling aimlessly through space, 790 spitting his insults at me without a break…well, he still does it, think this isn´t really a change, Kai…" Stan slowed down. "Everything is so different…like in a bad dream!" "Not every change was bad, Stan, but this dream has started far better than it is currently going to end," Xev sighed and stopped walking and looked at the wall.

Stan was sorry for the girl. It had never been easy for him to accept that she really don´t want any sexual relationship with him, he never understood her hots for the dead man, but after all they were some kind of family, and even he had been a real coward sometimes, he never could have done any wrongs to her, nor leave her somewhere behind, like he threatened to do several times. So he couldn´t be jealous when Kai got his life back and Xev´s biggest wish did finally come true. Instead he felt an honest happiness for her. Both had had a lot of unfulfilled desires in their life, and Stan would never forget how it felt like. For a short time it seemed as if their journey was about to end, their search for a new home and completion, but how sudden such things change he should have known. He was lucky that Yareena had survived the attack unharmed, but it made him feel sad when he learned that Kai now had the price to pay for that. He put his arm around Xev´s shoulder and squeezed her gently. "Hey Xev…I…really don´t know what to say, but…!" "It´s alright, Stan, I know you care too, " she started to sniff. "It´s simply not fair….!" Tears blurred her sight and Stan tried his best to give her some comfort. "Cheer up, gal, maybe there´s still some hope, I mean, maybe we have overseen something, a chance to help him," Stan said. "Maybe we should consult 790?" Xev nodded: "That´s why I came here, Stan. Do you help me?" "Of course, come on, let us ask this old tin can!" Xev smiled bravely and wiped her tears away and both continued their way to the bridge.


	21. Kidnapped!

Chapter 20

Kidnapped!

He had cowered himself very very well. None of the search parties had found him. How should they? After all, his skills were superior and they only were normal human beings. He felt that his insect-DNA was very comfortable on board of this ship. And it was this part that felt sorry that such a mighty insect ship was ordered and used by humans…instead of using its own mind and will.

But well, at the moment it wasn´t his concern, he had different orders and this orders regarded only the Captain of this vessel. He had to wait for a chance…a brief moment was enough to do what he had to do.

Sa´k looked down to the bridge. Except for the robothead no one had been here for a while. And he would be more than happy if this Tweedle showed up soon, preferably alone. Sa´k climbed down until he reached the floor of the bridge and released the safety of his weapon. He ensured that he was out of the robothead´s sight, he had to mess with this troublemaker first.

He was about to approach him when he suddenly heard two voices inside the left passageway. Incredibly fast he disappeared inside the right passageway.

Just in time, 790 also noticed the voices and turned around with his cart to face the left passageway. He was very excited to hear Xev´s voice: "Oh my Xev is back…my Xev with…this shlub Stan….grrrr!" "Be nice, 790," Xev advised him. "Do I have to?" "Yes, you have to!" "Too bad…I just wanted to eat him for breakfast." 790 gritted his digital teeth. "What a pity that you _don´t_ have teeth," was Stans sarcastic answer. He was about to climb into the command pedestal when suddenly Sa´k appeared next to him and threatened him with his weapon. Xev was so surprised that she only stared at both for a few seconds, then she realized what happened and she wanted to intervene. "Stay where you are!" Sa´k hissed. "Or he is dead!" He dragged Stan down the pedestal. The Captain froze when he looked into the muzzle of Sa´ks gun. He gulped.

Xev put 790 down. "No darling, I will defend you!" "Be quiet 790!" Xev fixed the weapon, she really wasn´t interested to get reacquainted with this weapon. Her leg still hurt when she thought about it. At least, she wouldn´t underestimate it a second time. "Sa´k!" she said. "What do you want?" Xev tried to play out, she had to wait for an opportunity, but Sa´k didn´t engage with it. "It´s very unfortunate that the explosion hasn´t killed you at once. You´re only retarding your death." A growl made its way up her throat. "Leave him alone, what do you want from him?" "He´s part of my mission, and I am sure that he will be an important part in our plans. Go Captain! You´re expected on Pr´karesh, someone wants to talk to you…!" Sa´k pushed Stan forward and Stan started to walk unwillingly and stiff. He didn´t want to play a hero with a gun in his neck. "Tweedle, you coward, fight like a man!" 790 screamed. Xev hissed in anger. She saw no possibility to help Stan as long as Sa´k was ready to fire. "Call a security team 790!" She followed them in some distance to the mothchamber and with an angry growl she watched them boarding a moth. "We´ll free you Stanley, I promise. Keep calm!" she called after them. "Oh Xev…you can talk," Stan wailed and climbed into the moth. "We´ll meet again…!" Sa´k said threatening. "You can count on that!" Xev called back and jumped towards the moth – but of course, it was too late. The small security team, that arrived this moment with a shuttle from outside stopped by Xev´s yell: "Don´t, Stan is aboard. Keep away!" Fortunately the pilot was prepared for such a situation, 790 had done a good job on that. The shuttle stayed away from the moth and let it pass. They land next to a very desperate Xev. Yareena jumped out of the shuttle and both women were looking after the disappearing moth. "We should send some of our ships out to follow him...so we don´t loose his track, who knows where they gonna take him." Xev looked at her and said: "Pr´karesh. It was Sa´k, he said that someone on Pr´karesh wants to talk to Stanley." Yareena shook her head: "I don´t understand, it´s not usual that they kidnap someone…the reason why they suddenly do that is very fathomless." "I don´t have an idea either…" Xev sighed and watched the worry in Yareenas face. She was clearly upset and concerned about Stan. "At least he is alive, maybe this isn´t a bad sign…!" "Why do you talk like that?" Xev asked. Yareena turned to walk back to the shuttle: "I haven´t heard that someone ever reached Pr´karesh alive." Before she entered the shuttle again, she said: "I´m going to report Shereen at once and we´ll see what we can do for Stan." Xev nodded absently and the shuttle lifted off again. There was nothing to do for them here.

The events on board the Lexx caused quite a stir. Stan´s kidnapping was a real catastrophe for all of them. Without Stan they weren´t able to control the Lexx, no way to communicate with the bugship…and the Lexx was more important than ever to them…in the worst case it should help to defend their home world. That was impossible now.

"This wasn´t an act of coincidence. This was planned. That´s the reason why Sa´k had been in Shore´s team…to get aboard the Lexx, to learn about the ship and get a possibility to kidnap Stan. Without Stan we have one defense option less – the Lexx is useless without him." Shereen knitted her brows by recapitulating the recent events. "The question that keeps me busy is, why haven´t they killed him at once?" Yareena asked, she had met Shereen in her office right after her return from the Lexx. "Maybe it has something to do with the key Stanley possesses, they might know something about this key, Kai assumed that it´s possible that someone is with the Pr´karesh who is also from the Cluster, the place they come from. But it was only a guess, it could be anyone else," Shereen presumed. "So then, they seem to know not exactly everything, cause if, they would have killed him...to get the key," Yareena sighed. She and the President were the only other people informed about the true function of the key. Yareena sat down onto a chair. "What should we do now? The situation here on the station is under control...but we cannot just wait for the next attack!" Shereen looked at her. "I know. Our situation is getting more and more out of control. And if the observation posts are right, then we´ll soon have a huge problem. The Pr´karesh are concentrating their forces...and this leads to the assumption that they will start their major offensive we´re expecting since months. No Yareena, it´s not a coincidence. We are maybe now in charge of the technology to withstand their weapons, but it will take some time to prepare the necessary amount of ships to built a strong defensive line. Time we may not have. And now we´ve lost the Lexx too. I don´t know what to do if the attack starts here and now...I´ve sent more spies to get more information, but I´m far from being sure that the information will reach us in time." Shereen leaned back and laid her hand over her forehead. Their situation had gone worse, everything seemed to be against them. And she really was about to put the prophecy into question. The most important part of it lay dying in a hospital on Arcan´s...but despite, she wasn´t able to give up. There were billions of people she had to protect, and she had sworn to fight for them until the end...whatever would come. Fighting...Shereen sighed: "Sometimes I wish I were able to get out of here and do something on my own...just take a fighter and fight these bastards. But no, I have to sit here and make decisions...and have to read long lists of losses!" She lowered her head and rested it on her hands. Yareena put her hand forward and touched her gently, she knew oh so well, how she felt. She may was the security chief of the Arcannea Station, but until recently, it has been mostly an office job. Maybe the calm before the storm. "You´re thinking of those old days, right?" She asked her friend. "Oh yes, those old times...!" Shereen smiled a bit and remembered.

Before she overtook the presidency, she had spent a lot of her early work and time for the Alliance in education. It was important and necessary for everyone who was working for the government. A part of her education was also military training. She had been in a flying squadron, together with Yareena. The military part of their education was intended for emergency cases. But no one ever thought that this may come reality some day. Shereen stopped her train of thoughts suddenly. Something got into her mind.

"Yareena...we may have a trump card no one has thought about so far. It´s maybe the only one we have in this war. If everything fails, we should use this one last chance...it´s the perfect instrument to fall into their back...!" Yareena stared at her for a brief moment before she got what she was talking about. "But wasn´t this something our military strategists already have suggested? As far as I know is that they don´t expect that Pr´karesh or any other of their main planets will be unprotected, and for that they disapproved this." "Yeah, that´s right. But this instrument isn´t official military property, and we don´t need military strategists to tell us what to do...I´m ready to do everything to protect the Alliance...and while our forces and theirs are busy why shouldn´t we take the opportunity to slip in through the backdoor and take our chance? I´m almost sure that they take Stanley to Pr´karesh, and if we succeed to get to Pr´karesh we..." "...we can take the chance to free him and the Lexx is again a new option in this war." Yareena ended her thoughts. Shereen nodded. "That´s true, but who will go there?" "You, I, maybe we can ask Xev too. I fear that Kai is no option..." Shereens face went dark for a moment. "Don´t forget, this is our last option, we´re using it when it´s foreseeable that we have nothing to lose." Shereen bent forward and added: "Prepare everything and be sure that no one notice it, whatever happens, I want to make sure that this secret will stay a secret. I don´t want any fighting with our military chain of command." Yareena nodded and stood up. "I understand. I´ll take care of it as soon as I´m back from a visit at the pathology." Shereen raised her brows: "Pathology?" "Yes, the coroner, Tran´k, told me about some very strange discoveries when he examined the corpses of the terrorists. I drop you a message as soon as I learned something important." Yareena explained. "Okay, do that. I´m out the office for several hours too. Dr. Shore´ invited me and several senators to be present when he demonstrates the new technology for our ships. Usual governmental business." "So he found a way to improve the protection of our ships?" Yareena asked. "Yes, call it the first good news. He informed me about that just before you came in. He sounded very excited. Well, it´s too early to shout it out loud, so keep it to yourself, okay?" Yareena nodded and Shereen also stood up. "Let us go, think I need a cup of coffee before I meet him!" Yareena smiled and both women left the office.

Xev was nearly alone on the Lexx after Yareena and the security team had left. Dr. Shore´s team was also leaving the Lexx, they had found what they were looking for and Xev was glad for them. Shore´ had been so happy and he hurried everyone so he was able to test his theory with a prototype and a captured Pr´karesh ship.

Xev left 790 on the bridge and wandered aimlessly through the corridors. Anytime she stood in her chamber and sat down on her bed. Her mind was still a chaos and no useful thought came to her. All the events had come thick and fast, first Kai´s deadly injury and now Stan´s kidnapping.

His life was clearly in danger, although he wasn´t killed at once. She deeply hoped that it was his status as Captain that guaranteed his surviving.

There was no way to follow Stan. She wanted to do that, but the moths haven´t the range and the speed to fly past them. Sa´k will take him to Pr´karesh, but how should she follow him? Without the Lexx? She had to lean on the Arcannea, Yareena promised her to do everything they could do...and maybe then there will be an opportunity to help Stanley.

But this wasn´t her only concern.

She was torn.

On the one hand she wanted to help Stan...but there was someone else who needed her help. She looked down onto the bed. Two lives she wanted to safe, one life belonged to a good friend, and the other life was that of the man she loved. Xev touched the blanket, which lay on the bed, still the same way it was left days ago. Xev pulled it towards her and pressed it tight to her body. She could still smell the aroma of their bodies on it. "Oh Kai..." she whispered. "If I only had an idea!" She banned Stanley from her thoughts for a moment. She wasn´t able to solve both problems at once. She stood up brusque and walked out of her room. She had to clear her mind...with all the memories she was never able to get any useful idea!

Again she wandered aimlessly through the Lexx and then she stood in the cryochamber. Deep in thoughts she watched the cryopod he had used for such a long time. At least...they could freeze him until they find a way to help him. Sure, this really wasn´t a solution, the chance to find a cure was more than small, depending on Dr. Noraan, they hadn´t found one in the past millenia.

Xev´s gaze wandered through the cryochamber, until it found the reservoir with protoblood.

She stopped. Since he was alive it was useless, but despite that she had kept it here, even if it

doesn´t really make a sense. Xev made a step towards it and touched the tubes, played with them. "Could the protoblood be a cure?" she thought aloud. His undead, decarbonized body was never affected by any poison or injury. But only the protoblood kept him going, only the protoblood healed his damage. In fact it wasn´t in it´s purpose dissimiliar to human blood...but it was much more effective. She shivered when she thought about it´s origin...the Gigashadow - an insect. In this part the insect-biology really seemed to be superior to the human biology. Strange enough. Xev shook off these thoughts, was she really reflecting on human and insect varieties?

More important were those thoughts about a useful application of this protoblood. She hadn´t a concrete idea, but maybe when she tells Noraan about its former usage, he may has one. And 790 has all the necessary informations about protoblood and the way Kai once had used it.

With a new ray of hope she took the protoblood and fetched 790 from the bridge.

She had promised to be back by evening...and she wanted to keep that promise.


	22. The time is running short

Chapter 21

**The time is running short**

She met Noraan on the corridor outside Kai´s room. Outright she started to tell him about the protoblood and her idea to use it as possible antidote. Noraan quickly lead her inside his workroom and closed the door. Patiently he listened to all her remarks. "I don´t have any idea how to use it, but if there ever will be an antidote…it must be the protoblood," she closed desperately.

Noraan nodded slowly and thought about all the things he had learned the past minutes. There were so many questions raised now, Xev gave him only a rough description of this strange substance and how it was used formerly. To use it as an antidote, they needed a copious knowledge about entirely everything. And there was the rub…he doubted that they would get in charge of a copious knowledge in time…

"Let´s assume it is an adequate antidote…we knew almost nothing about this protoblood. We don´t know anything about its composition, its possible applicability…what if his human organism doesn´t tolerate the protoblood? You said that it came from the Gigashadow, an insect. You know that human and insect always have been enemies…and their physiology is completely different too, there´s no guarantee that they are compatible." "Please…790 here has every tiny bit of knowledge about the protoblood, about Kai´s old condition…maybe it´s of some use. Please…I know it´s only a slim hope, but can´t we just try?" Noraan looked thoughtfully at her, he felt sorry for what had happened. She was about to lose someone who was her lover, they were about to lose someone who had saved many people with his brave attack against the terrorists.

He still had his doubts, but he wasn´t able to deny her request…she was right…if this robothead contained some more specific information they can at least try to do something…what do they have to loose?

"It will take time to analyze all the possibilities, time we _and_ he may not have… I cannot promise anything, Xev, but we can at least take a try."

Relief washed over her face. She knew that she couldn´t expect more…but if there was a chance, than the medic was the right one to find it. She pointed at the protoblood and put 790 down next to it on Noraans desk. "790?" "Yes my humble-bumble honey cake?" Xev rolled her eyes. "Please assist Dr. Noraan in every way he wishes, okay?" "Whatever you wish me to do, darling…I´ll obey…!" 790 would obey…clearly, it was Xev´s wish, and he couldn´t deny her any wish…but he wasn´t all too enthusiastic.

Noraan rose from his chair and looked at her completely serious: "I´ll inform you if something results from our examinations." "Okay, I´ll be with him…," she sighed and left a meditative Noraan back.

The physician knew that with this strange substance in front of him waited one of his biggest challenges…he could save a life, and he could find a working antidote to a poison hundreds of medics failed on before. He called his assistant, took the robot head and the bottle of protoblood and made his way down to the laboratories…as plenty of work needed to be done in a very short time, there was only one choice for him: he needed the best team of researchers and physicians in this hospital…a team he knew very well, because he was part of it. He trusted every one of them deeply…and he had this gut feeling that this topic should be in trustful hands only, whatever outcome it would have in the end.

Two more days passed by.

Kai´s condition declined increasingly. His pain was already so strong that the painkillers were barely able to diminish it. Xev spent most of the time on his side, talked to him whenever he was wake. She refused to get some sleep, too precious were the moments with him, but after two sleepless days, she accepted Noraans offer to get some sleep in the small rest room. She was so tired that she slept away the complete next day.

In the middle of the day after, Noraan woke her and told her that he had some news. Still dozy she followed him to his workroom and sat down opposite him, silently asking herself if _he_ ever sleeps.

"We worked around the clock the last three days and analyzed all the data we got from 790, and we already did some tests," he started and Xev was suddenly wide-awake, she bent forward with interest. "The protoblood is indeed a very complex substance, something human blood and this insect variety have in common. It´s not artificially reproducible, but that´s not of importance here. Our first tests were done with the pure poison Kai is infected with, and what should I say… the protoblood eliminated it with an incredible speed." "And this means…?" Xev held her breath when she heard this news. "…that it could be an antidote, yes…!" Noraan hesitated before he put a damper down on this. "But?" Xev asked. "To eliminate the poison in Kai´s organism we have to inject the protoblood as an antidote inside Kai´s blood circulation, so the antidote reaches every corner and is able to neutralize the poison. We took a blood probe from him and the tests confirmed what I feared from the start…the protoblood isn´t compatible with human blood. And this is unfortunately the only way to spread the antidote."

Xev´s hope fell apart. She knew that protoblood was able to revive the dead, not only Kai was a proof for that, the priests of His divine shadow were also revived with some protoblood to stop them. "And there´s really no other possibility?" she asked desperately, tears sprang into her eyes and the picture of her dying beloved arose from somewhere deep inside. A picture forever burnt deep into her soul. Noraan looked sympathetically at her: "I doubt that it´s in his or your interest to let him die only to revive him the same way it once had been done." Xev shook her head: "Of course not…" "Besides, we don´t have the technology to do such horrific things." Noraan was still shocked about the facts he had gathered from 790 about Kai´s former undead existence. It troubled him deeply that it was possible to revive dead people with this substance. It was all against his ethical standards, he was a physician who wanted to save peoples life, not to change them into undead creatures, damned to wander a realm that lies beyond death and life.

"Don´t get me wrong on this Xev, but I´m glad that this is all that remains of the protoblood available in the universe…I´m scared what ideas would rose in some mental unhealthy peoples minds if they ever were able to lay their hands on this substance. We´re a highly ethical society, but this doesn´t mean that we don´t have black sheep among us…" He paused some time and stared thoughtfully at Xev. The beautiful love slave was clearly close to break down. He needn´t has to ask how much Kai meant to her…it was all too obvious. He sighed and avoided to let her wait any second longer for the second part of his news.

"Xev, what we´re talking about now, is strictly confidential, this won´t leave this room, it´s for your ears, those of my team and the Presidents ears only!" He paused to see if this information reached her. Xev looked back at him, a bit surprised about this introduction.

"You already know that our ancestors, like Kai´s too, have fought in the insect wars. It were the BrunnenG who found the key to beat them…by assimilating their technology and match them with ours. But no one ever thought about using insect substances as antidote or addition to change human biology. This is completely forbidden, a sacrilege. Even the insect side refused to do that. This His Divine Shadow only used dead humans for his experiments. So we´re definitely in some sort of a dilemma, first: my colleagues and I are getting a headache by experimenting with an insect substance in combination with human biology, and second: no one ever had done something like this, no one knows what will happen." Xev gulped. "So there is a possibility?" Noraan froze for a moment, then he rose from his seat and started to pace up and down slowly. "Yes, there might be a possibility Xev. Thanks to our advanced knowledge in every area of technology, medicine and biology…, which resulted from the strict laws we´re bound to since thousands of years. Otherwise improvement overtakes rationality…and this is the road to hell. We´ve seen many nations coming and going, they all didn´t listen to rationality. Well, to cut a long story short…if we´re going to do what seem to be the only way to save his life…it has to be the first and the last time! That´s the reason why I am so undecided…I hope you understand my doubt and the risks we´re going to take!" Noraan sat back down and folded his hands.

Xev nodded slowly, her thoughts were whirling, but she slowly understood Noraans situation.

"It´s complicate and it needs some time and diligence, but I think we´re able to help. I try to explain it to you. You remember what I told you some minutes ago about the problem of the incompatibility of human and insect blood?" Xev nodded. "It´s the only way to spread the protoblood as an antidote everywhere inside his body. As it is not possible in a natural way, we have to use an artificial way. We have to change the genetic structure, so both substances will combine. We cannot change the protobloods genetic structure, cause we know only little about it, and of course, we need it unchanged to get its full efficiency. We´re to change Kai´s DNA, that´s the only way left. The use of gene technology is thousands of years old, also we use it in a very limited way. Our ships and many buildings are constructed with bioorganic technology, developed from gene technology. The restriction comes again in combination with human biology. We made some really bad experience with gene technology in the past, concerning the applicability on humans, and we learned from it. Today we are still using gene technology in medicine, but we have strict rules, there are enormous risks in using too much of a thing…you know? And what we´re intending to do _is_ a massive intervention in human biology. We have to modify his DNA in a way that his human physiology doesn´t reject the insect substance. There were already done some tests, cause his DNA is slightly different to ours, but though we´re all humans it isn´t a great thing. By changing a specific part of his DNA, we succeeded in combining the protoblood-substance with the modified blood. It´s a very complicated process, I won´t bore you with details, but this is the only way we see."

Xev understood most of it, but suddenly she was concerned too, mostly about the part with the change of his DNA. "And what will happen to him after this…modification? I mean, he is still human after that, isn´t he?" Xev looked at Noraan with questioning eyes. She knew very well what a change of DNA could mean. The clusterlizard DNA she got during the transformation process proved itself sometimes very useful, but it changed her life in some unpleasant ways too. What would, what could happen if Kai´s DNA was combined with the protoblood, which clearly carries insect-DNA?

Noraan nodded slowly, he understood Xev´s concerns. "The change in his DNA is small. It´s not necessary to pull it upside down, although he certainly will have some insect DNA in future – the functional group who allows us to combine his human blood with the insect protoblood. But of course he will still count as human. In the early days of gene technology there were cells used, donated by animals, and then implanted in human systems…it worked well without problems.

But of course, we´re talking about insect DNA and that´s a different story, this is still risky. Especially because we don´t know what will happen to his physiology in general. You´re an example of what might happen…your clusterlizard-DNA has changed some of your body functions. You´re stronger, you can stand far more heat than normal human beings…this could also happen to Kai…. he may inherit some attributes from the protoblood." "What does that mean?" she asked, only calmed little.

Noraan scratched his chin and looked down on his data pad. "We´re currently testing those attributes…and what we expect is a higher resistance against poisons and injuries. The regeneration rate of such a physiology is enormous…it´s minimum 30 till 40 times higher than thus of a normal human. We think that it´s the same effect the protoblood had had on his undead body…it healed right after it was injured. This doesn´t sound bad…I agree on that, but I don´t dismiss that there may also be harmful properties…after all it´s still a risk, Xev…that must be clear!" Noraan looked over the data columns and was still astonished about this protoblood. There were really some test results, which implicated that a human body modified this way was possibly superior to normal human physiology. This was also the part that concerned him most. And what confirmed his will to keep this work strictly confidential. He mentioned it before, the Arcannea were very advanced, in technology and in morality, but you never know when the next black sheep shows up…this protoblood bore some dangerous possibilities, a range from giving dead people artificial life to modify people into superior beings. Without last nights never ending discussions about all pros and contras, and the knowledge that this was a very special case and the Presidents final okay, he hadn´t agreed t do it. Noraan was the Alliances most brilliant geneticist… and with it came a lot of responsibility.

Xev listened carefully and realized the small gleam of hope for Kai coming with it. She knew about the risk, but what choice do they have? She doesn´t want Kai to be dead, real dead, not now…this wasn´t fair. She knew that Kai´s opinion about that wasn´t the same. He was suffering since he was alive again. But _she_ wasn´t ready to let him go this way…If he had the possibility to continue his life the way Noraan had described, she doesn´t saw anything wrong in it. Above all, no one would turn him into an undead assassin again to lengthen his existence.

"I´ll talk to him, in the end it´s his own decision…as long he is able to make it on his own, I cannot speak for him," she finally said, some fear rose from her guts. What if Kai refused to agree to it? What if he was so disgusted by the idea to live on with some insect DNA? After all he was a BrunnenG, and even in his undead state, she had clearly seen the disgust in his tone when he had talked about Mantrid and shown more than usual motivation to eliminate this artificial human-insect life. That his own existence was depending on protoblood made no difference, Kai was aware of that, but he never showed that he had cared about that. The dead had sometimes been really strange…Xev sighed, she wasn´t sure how this would end, but she refused to give up. It was the only chance for him, and more than offering this chance wasn´t possible.

Xev rose from her seat and sighed. With all her strength she grasped at this straw. "My team has already prepared everything for an emergency case, just tell me as soon as you know…!" he smiled encouragingly at her. "Thank you, I…"

Just in this moment the door was opened fiercely and a nurse hurried inside. She interrupted their conversation and talked to Dr. Noraan. "Dr., our patient from room #11…" Xev looked up startled, room #11 was Kai´s room.

"The effectiveness of the painkillers has reached its limit, we don´t have any stronger sedatives," the nurse continued in Arcannea, so that Xev couldn´t understand. Noraans face darkened and he followed her outside. "What´s going on?" Xev asked with sudden fear in her heart. "Please wait a moment, I´m back in a minute." Then he was gone.

Xev´s thoughts started whirling and she felt her fear growing. Something was clearly wrong. Minutes seem to turn to hours, and she was right about to follow Noraan, when he finally came back. He leaned heavy on the silently closed door and looked at her with a sad and serious expression. "What happened?" Xev asked hoarse and full of apprehension. "He´s dying," was the short reply. Although she had nearly expected this…she winced and felt a deep painful stitch in her guts. Only with extreme effort she was able to control herself. "I´m sorry, but the effectiveness of our strongest painkillers and sedatives is now completely useless. There´s nothing we can do for him any longer…!" "How long?" she asked, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Half a day perhaps, maybe less. There´s only few time, Xev," he reminded her. Xev nodded. "He asked for you…" Noraan opened the door again to let her out. He didn´t follow her, he felt that she wanted to be alone now. "I´m here if you need any help," he said. A brief nod, then Xev turned and walked over to room #11. She took a deep breath before she entered. She rather wanted to face up to her own death than her beloveds one.

As she closed the door behind her, she heard his suppressed groans and quickly moved at his side. The sallow light seemed to make him paler than he already was. His hands were baled to fists and his body trembled. "I´m here, Kai!" she said low. She gulped, a thick lump in her throat. His view was heartbreaking. He turned his head and opened his tensely closed eyes when he heard her voice. His attempt to smile ended up in a painful groan. His hand trembled when he put it slowly forward. Xev took it and sat down on the bed. She appalled in how breakable his hand felt in hers. It wasn´t the only sign of the consequences the injury has left. Kai had grown painfully thin during the last days and he acted on so devitalized. Troubled Kai tried to sit up, what was impossible without her help. "It´s so…cold, darunee…" he said weak and low and sank into her arms. Xev pulled him closer and put the blanket back over his body. She run her hand softly over his cheek and swept some damp and wet strands of the deep black hair out of his face. He felt terribly hot and Xev could see the fever burning in his eyes. A last rear up of his body against the poison. He laid his head enfeebled on her shoulder and sighed low.

Xev´s eyes burnt of unshed tears, she had to try hard to keep her control. Without speaking she listened to his unsteady breathing, felt his painful thin body trembling. He buried his face down onto her shoulder and gave a low groan from time to time, which often lapsed into a sob. Xev lost the fight with her control and the tears flew freely over her cheeks, seeped into his raven dark hair. "Xev…I…love…you," Kai´s voice sounded brittle. "You cannot die Kai…not yet!" she whispered and caressed his hair. A sigh was audible and he lifted his head: "I´ve already existed for a long time, Xev, too long…" "No, the time you were alive was far too…short," she said desperately. "It´s the price of mortality, it´s what would have happened sooner or later. I´m not invulnerable any more…and I am not able to…protect you any lon-…." Again he pressed his face against her body and muffled his outcry, resulted from the agony he was suffering. "Are you sorry…for getting your life back?" she asked sadly. Slower than before he lifted his head and let his gaze wander over her beautiful face. After a brief moment he dropped his gaze. "I…don´t know…but what I´m sorry for is that I won´t be there for you soon…" his voice faded. If he had been dead on the station, than he had been able to safe her life without any consequences for him, and he would still be there to protect her.

But then…he would never had learned all the things before it. All those moments with her…the emotions associated with it, the love they had shared. From this point of view he wasn´t sorry for anything…but, there were enough moments he felt sorry to be alive again.

Xev didn´t respond, what should she say? More and more it became clear to her that Kai had already abandoned all hope…she couldn´t blame him. The pain he was going through would end with his certain death, there was no escape – that was what he knew. She knew it better, and she was reminded to it this moment…it was about time to tell him…

"Kai, I talked to Noraan. There might be a way to save your life…it´s very complicate and difficult, there´s a high risk too, but at least it´s a chance." Kai looked into her face when he heard it, but Xev couldn´t see any hope in his eyes whether this news, there was only agony and sadness. "There´s a…possibility?" he asked. "Yes, one…," again this hesitating and careful undertone. Kai coughed and shook his head slightly, it irritated him that she started to tell him so late…normally Xev had come in and burst it out aloud, so there must be a catch in it. "I…I told Noraan that I have to ask you first, I have no right to come to a decision as long as you´re able to do it on your own…because…well, it might be not in terms of…your opinion." Kai watched her carefully…there _was_ a catch in it. Xev began to tell him about her idea and what she discussed with Noraan, what he found out, every tiny bit she knew about Noraans suggestion. During the explanation she tried to put all her hope and confidence in her voice to convince him that it really was worth a try. Kai listened to her nearly motionless, he had closed his eyes, his head rested on her shoulder. Xev waited for an answer, but there was none. She almost thought that he had lost his consciousness. "Kai?" she asked worried. Slowly Kai raised his head, then he opened his eyes to look at her. "Is it really something you would recommend?" he asked, some tears sprang in his eyes.

Xev was expecting something like this. But despite her shock of Kai´s very emotional reaction, her desperation prevailed over her rationality. "You have a chance to live on…Kai." The BrunnenG sighed. He was deeply disappointed that Xev really considered _this_ procedure to keep him alive. Hadn´t he gone through enough changes? Hadn´t they mutilated his body enough in the past? He knew that she was in great pain about his threatening death, but this was too much. With sudden strength he sat up and grasped her shoulders. He looked sad and disappointed into her eyes: "Xev, are you serious about that? Do you really want my life to be continued at all costs? I may not be a machine without emotions, without life, but should I turn into a different variation from what I once was? A living creature with protoblood instead of an undead one? Should I carry the DNA of the worst enemy of all humans? An enemy that also destroyed my people, my home? Xev, I hope this is only a bad joke. You know me better than anyone else in this universe, you know my story, at least from you I would have expected something different…!" Xev swallowed hard. She never had seen Kai so upset.

Her brain, her rationality told her that every single point he quoted, he was right with. But her heart spoke a different language. This heart was afraid of losing him, of breaking when he dies. "I know…but…but…." Xev started to sob. Despite his weakness he strengthened his grasp. "I would rather die than to allow such things done to me again, as long as I am able to prevent it. You cannot be so egoistic Xev…I know that you aren´t!" Xev bit on her lips. She wasn´t an egoist…but she couldn´t live without him anymore…not after all they shared…not after all the love she had found with him. All her life she had been alone…this wasn´t the worst, she was used to it, but now she knew how it felt to be respected, accepted and loved. Everything inside her fought against a new rejection, and caused this trouble inside her mind, because the other part also understood Kai´s position.

She felt his fingers under her chin and her head was pushed up with soft pressure. Kai realized her inner fight and was a bit sorry for his harsh words, but it wasn´t easy to speak rationally to her at the moment. "Don´t do that to me Xev!" He looked deep into her eyes. He could see and feel her agony, her fear, her love, her firm will to safe his life, the fight between her rationality and her heart.

Like so many times her heart won again, this irrational little thing that prevented to let her recognize the point of let go. She caused him pain with that, not willingly, but nevertheless she did. He didn´t want a life at all costs. He didn´t want his existence artificially lengthened…not again. Although Xev knew much about what was going on inside him, more than anyone else at least, she seemed to be not interested that his physical and mental pain have reached a point where he only wanted one thing: to die. Every day since this second life began, had been a fight, a struggle against his past, his memories, his newly awakened emotions he sometimes was overstrained with. And now…there was this fight against this physical agony that spread like fire through his whole body.

Xev could give him the strength to keep an uncertain mental balance, but she couldn´t take away this additional pain. It was all too much…and he was so tired. Feeling his strength fading, he tried it a last time. "Xev…," Kai felt tears streaming down his cheek. "Please Xev, let me go. My life, my existence is long since a fight…I´m so tired. If you really love me Xev…I beg you…let me go," he said, his voice failing. He felt his strength that kept him upright collapsing. The pain came back with tripled impact. The agony washed over him and he broke down with a scream. Xev caught him and held his trembling body. Softly she cradled him in her arms and started to cry. "Kai!" It shocked her that Kai had to beg under tears…what had she done? Had she been so wrong about this whole idea? She was desperate, but she hadn´t realized that her desperation could grow so much that she wouldn´t respect other people's needs and wishes. Inwardly she cursed herself…love could be so cruel. "Kai….," she pressed his body close to hers and said sobbing: "I´m sorry…but what should we all do without you? Stan was kidnapped, the Arcannea are going to loose this war…what should I do without you? I love you…I…I…Kai…I cannot go on without you…!" Xev felt his body convulsing with pain in her arms and with a terrible scream he threw his head back, his face a mask of agony.

The wave of pain that seized him was like fire and there was nothing that would stop it. Groaning he searched for Xevs hand, he felt her vaguely next to him, but his consciousness was about to fade into darkness. "Xev…," he whispered scarcely audible when the next wave set his body on fire. He started to scream and sob until he finally was thrown into the waiting darkness.

Xev held him firm in her arms, his whole body trembling and convulsing with unspeakable pain. It took minutes until she felt him sinking down, then he lay in her arms, perfectly still and without consciousness. She let him slid down onto the bed and Xev touched his face with trembling fingers…softly she stroke over his keen features, then she broke down onto him. She started to cry the bitterest tears in her whole life. She was so desperate…what now? What would happen now?

Stan kidnapped, Kai close to death, not accepting the suggested way to safe his life…what should she do? She knew somehow that it was important to continue, to safe his life…but who should convince him when she fails? For the first time the tough woman inside her broke down…she was beaten…she didn´t know what to do.

Xev´s heart was about to break when she lifted her head to take a look at his motionless body. She put her arm under his back and pulled him back into her arms. She pressed him close to her body and under more and more tears a desperate and sad clusterlizard scream escaped her lips.


	23. Stanleys nightmare

Chapter 22

**Stanleys nightmare**

If Shereen hadn´t been the President of the Arcannea Alliance and in the middle of a meeting with her council, she would have screamed in rage at the very same time like Xev cried of sadness.

After they witnessed the successful demonstration of the prototype ship with the modified protecting system it seemed to turn out a good day. And now the engineers and workers were hard working to equip all their ships the same way. Shore´ and his team had done a great job during the last days.

Another quite good information she got was that there was a first sign that Stanley was alive. How anticipated, the kidnapped Captain had been taken to Pr´karesh...not so good news, but he was alive, that was all that counted at the moment.

But all things have turned sour now…

She stared in shock on the data pad Al´a had handed her over a few minutes ago. Not only the fact that Dr Noraan had dropped her a few lines about Kai´s current condition, which was truly sad, distracted her from Senator Farkaths speech, but the next message shocked her completely. She stared down on the words for quite a while...

The day she most feared had come...the Pr´karesh had started their attack on the Jahr´am-front line. The long awaited war had begun...

No wonder that at least one man in the DarkZone was in a good mood this day. Biovezir Taleron. His best assassin was also the most reliable man he had, and after the failure to destroy the complete Arcannea-Station, he had at least used the chaotic situation to complete the second mission...to kidnap the Captain of the Lexx. Now he was waiting impatiently for their arrival here. He was more than excited to get finally answers to all those questions the presence of the Lexx here has raised.

Stanley felt contrary to Talerons excitement. He felt below par when Sa´k dragged him into the dark and uncomfortable place once called government building . The atmosphere here sent a shiver down his spine, it reminded him a bit too much to the Cluster. Stan was suddenly reminded to the conversation they had on Sha´ra with Shereen. Kai had vocalized what they all avoided to assume…was there someone who had escaped from the Cluster, like they had? And was he responsible for all the chaos? With all the luck they always had…it was in all probability. Well, he was supposed to find it out as first, the question was if it was of any use for him after that…

Sa´k shoved him roughly into the building, through numerous corridors, which were only lit weakly and passed some hurried walking people. Stan wasn´t able to tell if they were here on their own, or if they were happy to work here, their expressions were all to blank and didn't give anything away. The sensation of this emotional emptiness and depressing constriction of the Cluster hit him again.

Finally they reached a door to another room. Sa´k left him in the care of two disinterested staring guards, which were waiting in front of the door. Stan didn´t move…he was sure that those guys won´t be so disinterested if he would start an attempt to escape.

A few minutes later the door opened again and Sa´k pushed him wordlessly inside. Stan nearly fell to the floor but in the very last second he kept his balance. He was standing in the middle of a large hall, and he saw a person waiting for him in the penumbra of the back.

The biovezir watched the arrival of the Captain with excitement. But what he saw wasn´t what he had expected. He surveyed the nervous Stanley up and down. "A security guard class 4…?" Taleron snorted disappointed. He had expected a vociferous protesting member of the Divine Order…but not a security guard…fourth class! Stan froze when he heard Talerons words and tried to identify the person in the penumbra. He slowly recovered and answered, pushing his chin defiant forward: "Seems that I´m not the only one that came here from the LightZone." "Yes…that´s a surprise, for both of us!" Taleron crossed the distance between them and stopped right in front of Stan. The Captain of the Lexx blinked when he noticed Talerons appearance. Who the heck was this man? There was nothing special on him…he wore dark clothes, maybe a bit like the divine order, but besides his face, nothing on him was unusual. Stan trembled a bit when he looked inside this cold and cruel face of Taleron. The eyes were constantly watching him like a hawk, and his gauntly features underlined his atrocious appearance.

"Who are you?" Stan asked. Taleron laughed. "Maybe your worst nightmare Stanley H. Tweedle…maybe…well, let´s see…!" Stan backed away a bit when Taleron encircled him. Then he whispered: "I´m Taleron, once His Divine Shadows weapon constructor, a biovezir…if you like to call me that…!" Stan winced… Jesus…not again …he thought… not again, another one of this crazy sort of people… "But now tell me, how is it that a security guard class 4, and former arch traitor, is in charge of the mightiest weapon in the two universes?"

"How is it possible that 4000 years after the destruction of the LightZone someone from there is still alive?" Stan asked back, ignoring the ongoing reminder of being an arch traitor. Did everyone in the LightZone know what he had done?

Talerons eyes narrowed. He couldn´t quite believe what the man said. The LightZone destroyed? How was that possible? On the other hand…this could be the explanation why this ship wasn´t commanded by His Shadow himself…had he been killed in the LightZone? But why does the Lexx still exist? Taleron needed answers…quickly. "You don´t seem to get it straight… Captain…" Taleron made a quick step forward and grabbed Stan´s neck roughly, "…who´s in charge to pose the questions…!" he hissed. Stan gulped and tried to keep some countenance. Taleron waved Sa´k and the eerie man handed him a syringe. Taleron dragged Stan with him and pressed him into a chair in the back of the hall, Sa´k held him with iron fists and tied him up. "Let us start again, security guard class 4…I´m not interested in counter questions and fairy-tales."

Stan peered in panic at the syringe in Talerons hands. The things were hurrying a bit now…what happened here? Fairy-tales? Didn´t this crazy biovezir know anything about what happened to the LightZone? He couldn´t detect anything in Talerons cold face, but this reaction betrayed him. "You didn´t even know that the LightZone was destroyed?" Stan asked, a bit too triumphantly. Taleron grabbed his chin with bone breaking strength. "No…but I know that you will tell me…without any delay and without any lies." The syringe drew closer. Before Taleron penetrated Stans arm with it, he hissed: "I´m pretty sure that we are going to have a wonderful conversation…!" Then the syringe pierced through Stan's skin and the drug was injected into his veins. Stan wailed low, but it was too late. The truth serum spread rapidly and he froze…his gaze was concentrated on a point far away and Taleron smiled cruelly. He bowed down to ask his questions…

He didn´t know how much time had passed, but his head felt like a hammer was constantly banging on ambos when he woke. Stan moaned and he put his hand on his forehead. What the heck had happened? Slowly he remembered. The kidnapping. Pr´karesh. Biovezir Taleron. Truth serum. Startled Stan sat up and opened his eyes. He was in a small room, obviously a cell. He had lain on a small bare pallet, made of some plastic, the cell itself was depressing grey and cold. Stan sighed and put his head in his hands. What had Taleron asked him? What had he told him? He couldn´t remember anything. It was terrible, well…at least he was alive. But what meaning does it have? Was he still of use? Did the same happen to him again like on the Cluster? Will they keep him in here until the system forgot him again? Stan suddenly felt terribly forlorn…

Taleron watched the screen showing Stan's cell in the centralized control room. He grimaced.

What he had learned was close to impossibility. Hadn´t he used the serum, he never had believed it.

The LightZone destroyed – by Mantrid, who always had a liability to megalomania.

His Divine Shadow - also killed – and this three had played an important part in it.

He nearly started to laugh when he learned that the prophecy His Shadow had feared and always tried to prevent, had been nevertheless accomplished through the one he had controlled for 2000 years. Talerons brows furrowed when he thought back to this part of Stan´s inquiry.

This assassin had caught his full attention. Not only for he had killed His Shadow…no, because it was the same one that His Shadow had sent after him when he had to flee from the Cluster, some years before they stole the Lexx.

Kai – last of the BrunnenG, and also the darkest legend among all assassins in the service of His Divine Shadow. He never had have much to do with the Divine Assassins, except for their weapon equipment, and this should have been the only time he had to see Kai…asleep of course, not wake. But their way crossed – not that he wanted that, but he had no choice…His Shadow wasn´t a ruler you should annoy.

Thanks to his knowledge he had been able to escape, but this assassin was despite better than all the others His Shadow had sent after him. Too bad that with Kai´s sudden and unexpected re-incarnation he would never have the chance to meet him a second time…he already had crossed Sa´ks way. He had to admit that his insect side was a bit disappointed about that…what a satisfaction the death of the last of the BrunnenG by his own hands would have been! But this chance was over…he didn´t expect that Kai would survive Sa´ks lethal attack. Insect weapons were definitely deadly for every human.

Taleron smiled sarcastically, what a lucky coincidence…he knew that the undead assassin Kai would have been not so sneezed at…but without the Lexx and without an assassin like Kai…they only were flies he intended to slay with a swatter.

If everything would continue so satisfying, he´ll soon have all power over the DarkZone. Additionally to his finalized research for the perfect human-insect-hybrid race, his ships were successfully attacking the Arcannean frontlines and their advance had unstoppable begun.

Taleron put his gaze back on the screen to Stan´s cell. What about him? Well, he was still important for him. He was the one with the key to the Lexx, an instrument of power he soon wanted to use… and once he had complete control over its Captain, he would have control over the two universes mightiest weapon. For the moment it was enough that the ship was completely useless for the Arcannea. All in good time…first he had to care about other things…but his full attention would be back at Stan soon.

Stanley looked around in his prison cell. Deflated he saw that there was not the tiniest chance to escape. Stan sighed and sat back down on the prattle. We´ll free you he heard Xev´s words ringing through his mind. Well, he hoped that they would. Who knows what Taleron wanted to do with him…At least he hadn´t found out about the transferability of the key, otherwise he doubted that he had still been here. So his life was worth something. But now what? He wasn´t sure about what he had told Taleron and what he now was planning…but, what does it matter? He couldn´t tell anyone.

It was so frustrating to sit around, not able to move something. Not knowing if someone would come for him…what if no one would? With horror he remembered what had happened to Kai. Xev promised to free him, yes, she would…if she could. Kai…the thought that he may was already dead scared him. Not only because he knew that this was one moving spirit less to free him, also, he really was sad about this sudden end of his new life. When he was still dead, he often wasn´t sure how to think about him, there were moments where Kai had scared him to death, but also moments where he had protected them again and again from any harm. He was family, although he was dead. But since he got his life back…there started to grow a real friendship. It was a complete new aspect to him: the ability that the BrunnenG was able to show more than reflectivity…there were real emotions instead! He shook his head, no, he couldn´t imagine that the BrunnenG maybe wasn´t alive this very moment. "Oh boy," he muttered. This time all three were really deep in trouble…thanks to the circumstances they were thrown in. And there seemed to be no solution that their problems would end soon. Stan leaned back at the cold wall and closed his eyes. "Oh boy…!"


	24. The best friend and the worst enemy

Chapter 23

**The best friend and the worst enemy**

Kai wasn´t able to feel any physical or mental pain anymore, somehow his consciousness seemed to be disconnected from his dying body. He remembered…the sensation wasn´t unfamiliar to him, even he had experienced it only for the blink of an eye when he had died the first time. This moment hadn´t lasted very long, because in the very moment he had died, a part of the most important thing that would had allowed him to die truly and forever, had been stolen with brutal violence.

It had been a part of his soul.

His life-essence had been torn apart this moment. A small part of it had remained in His Divine Shadows sways when he had stolen his memories, his personality; the other part had fled into some sort of a nimbus. Maybe he had seen this nimbus not long ago:

The planet Water.

It was some sort of afterlife…and yet not. He had seen all those souls down there, he had seen his own, but he hadn´t seen any other BrunnenG. It was only a rough assumption, but a possible one.

And there it waited…2000 years…6000 years.

The regaining of his memories from the predecessor, who had killed him, hadn´t made any difference to his torn soul. As long as his body stayed dead, it was impossible for him to complete his journey…he needed his whole life essence back, not only the small part he had gained back with his memories. Even in this unworthy state he had been aware about the

connection between both parts…it was the only true motivation he was able to "feel" – to get those both parts together again…meaning to die once and for all.

Well, the things had turned out differently, his soul was finally freed and able to return to him completely…when he became alive again.

It wasn´t the possibility he had expected, and not the one he would have chosen, but it happened…and it was a strange experience. Nothing he wanted to go through again…it was also another reason for his inner torment.

Now he was again on the edge of death…for the first time he was about to enter the realm of the dead with his whole intact soul, so he didn´t exactly know what awaited him, although he had experienced much more between life and death than anyone before.

His consciousness "woke" in a strange place. He found himself standing in the middle of an endless plain, or was it an image of him standing there? No, it was him, there was no difference between this appearance and his usual appearance…besides, it didn´t feel real, there was nothing but silence here, no wind blew, no birds sang, no animals were seen…but what was reality anyhow?

He surveyed the bright plain, discovered mountains somewhere far in the distance, over him was a deep blue sky, fading into violet and red shimmering colors where the semicircle of the sinking sun was just visible behind those mountains.

He turned to see what´s behind him and froze in place. In the opposite direction, there was darkness, only a full moon in the dark sky that lit up the plain a bit. He furrowed his brows and looked up irritated into the sky. Day and night in one place? This whole thing didn´t seem to make sense to him. His gaze dropped to the ground and he saw the borderline between day and night directly under his feet.

"Am I dead?" He finally asked into the silence.

"That´s what you want to be, right?" a voice behind him asked back. Kai turned back to the dayside and found himself face to face with a person he already knew.

It was the prophetess – and a part of him wasn´t surprised to see her again.

Kai hesitated to agree, but he could see that she already had determined how he felt about it. "You´re not dead, Kai, not yet. This is a place where decisions have to be settled – into the one or the other direction…maybe you know this place, but I doubt that you remember." Kai examined her and the landscape around him. This place had indeed something familiar, but he couldn´t grab it…maybe she was right, and he only failed to remember. His gaze shifted back to her and he tried to understand the purpose of his presence here.

"If I´m dying…why have I to be here – it´s not the same like the first time," he said with narrowed eyes.

The prophetess smiled a little. "That´s true…but like I said…this is also a place of decisions…you haven´t decided to walk the one or the other path yet." She pointed at the night-, then to the dayside.

"I haven´t decided? I thought I am dying…!"

If it really wasn´t like the first time…there was no need for him to wait…or to decide…if that´s what this place was for.

"That depends," she answered. "On what?" he demanded to know. The strange woman touched his shoulder. "On the decision you´re making. You´re not longer a prisoner of this place…you have the right to choose, like every single living human being."

Kai was irritated…and skeptic. She was speaking in riddles…how now?

He tried to reinterpret this place with what he had heard.

This was clearly a place between life and death, a place where some people succeed to return to life…and obviously some not. It could also be a place where some have to wait…maybe that´s what she referred to when she told him that he already knew this place but wasn´t able to remember properly.

But does it all depend on individual choice or…? He watched the prophetess carefully. There was something he couldn´t determine, but he was nearly sure that she hadn´t told him the entire truth – again, like on Sha´ra. He suddenly remembered this strange meeting and the things she had told him.

There must be a reason why she was here the same time his life was about to end.

The first time he had died…there hadn´t been anyone asking him if he wanted to die or not…he hadn´t had a choice…he was damned to wander a realm between both extremes…and this time suddenly he should have a choice? He could imagine that this may was the normal procedure…but everything inside him told him that in his case it never had been normal…and it never would be. So why was she here?

The prophetess saw the skepticism on his face, and everything she could see were his doubts.

She already had kept silent about too many things when they met on Sha´ra…but she hadn´t had a choice. Like she told him…the stakes were too high to risk anything that put more uncertainties into the yet chaotic situation the universe was in. It was about time to tell him more…or she risked destroying her already done advances.

"I never lied to you Kai, but I see that you guess the right thing…I also haven´t told you everything. I´m not sure if you´ll understand, but…before I risk to lose control over the situation…I think it´s about time to reveal more!"

Kai blinked, after all…he had been right….

"I cannot look into the cycles of time like my sister, but through peoples fate I see when something is about to go wrong…_then_, only _then_ I can see a part of it…and the consequences. And this time, something went _awfully_ wrong. Something happened that wasn´t destined to happen, and this has to be corrected now, or the consequences will be really horrible."

She looked a bit contritely at him. Kai shook his head in disbelief. "And what wasn´t destined to happen?" he asked, filled with sudden apprehension.

"That you got your life back…it was never part of the cycle of time, and it should never be," she said as tenderly as she could.

Kai stared at her for a moment, then his gaze dropped to the ground.

Normally he should be shocked…but, surprisingly he wasn´t. Some things were suddenly explaining themselves…his sensations hadn´t tricked him after all - all those doubts about this new life, there was a reason for it…it was never predetermined that he regained his life!

He slowly nodded. "I…understand, so my fate would have been different?" he asked.

With some careful relief about his calm reaction, the prophetess answered: "Yes, when I first saw this part of the cycle, it showed me a different situation as the one we´re currently in. It troubled me deeply when I learned about the real circumstances not long ago…"

"Why did it happen then? I always thought the cycle of time is unchangeable, you told me that it is…" he said reproachful.

"I…cannot talk about that in detail now, Kai, not yet," she answered hesitating, she had an answer for that, but this wasn´t of concern at the moment, and she was sure that Kai may wouldn´t understand it. "The more important question is what should happen now," she continued.

Kai looked a bit strange at her when she again evaded one of his questions…but he didn´t mind…maybe she was right not to talk about this now…his head was already full with all those sudden new cognitions. It was hard for him to sort this chaos…

So he kept silent and let her continue…he wanted to know more about this question she had put in…what would happen to him now?

"I knew from the beginning, by seeing Shereens fate, that you would come here. It was destined for you to help the Arcannea in this conflict, you´re playing the most important role in it Kai, but then, your sudden re-incarnation put the future of all the humans and the DarkZone into question," she started to explain. Kai interrupted her shocked: "Why?" he asked. "Why should the future of a universe depend on the death or the life of a single person?"

Something about this sounded a bit…familiar.

"Because in this case it´s of enormous importance…and if we don´t correct this mistake, the DarkZone is about to meet the same destiny like the LightZone, and of course, this also wasn´t predetermined in the cycle of time."

Kai shook his head. "How? If my re-incarnation is bad for the DarkZone, why am I still alive? Shouldn´t I be dead then?" He was confused. As soon as he said this, he knew that this was wrong…of course, he shouldn´t be alive, but he also couldn´t be dead…dead he couldn´t help the Arcannea…and this was the point. This situation was about to happen soon…he looked up into the sky and groaned…why tend things to be so complicated sometimes…and why do they always have to be prophecies…!

"It´s not that easy Kai. I told you that you are going to play an important role in this conflict…but dead you are no help, like you already started to comprehend." Her jeweled eyes seem to look deep into his mind…well, she was in his mind…, and her look called upon him to use his brain…she wanted him to discover the solution on his own.

Kai turned to his side and watched the dark part of this place…dead he cannot do anything…sure, if he was dead - he was dead. And alive…well, to be alive and vulnerable could mean a sudden and unexpected end before he could do anything…the situation he was in…what was left?

If he still had been in his undead state, like the cycle of time had predicted and wanted…he could have helped the Arcannea…but this fragile life inside him was about to vanish now…and if it did…well, the consequences were those the prophetess had mentioned…the end of the DarkZone…the end of the people there…

"This was the reason I wanted to talk to you…on Sha´ra…and why I am here now. It´s important that you know how much depends on you…what is at stake…" Kai looked back at her. She was completely serious and there was something like a plea in her gaze. He knew suddenly very well what she wanted from him…a decision – _the decision_. And this was the hardest thing someone could demand from him…anger rose deep inside him…when would they leave him alone…?

"So again there´s no choice for me…!" he said bitterly, very well remembering the first time no one left him the choice between a proper death and this unworthy existence…

The prophetess bit on her lips: "No one will force you to choose a decision you´re not willing to make, Kai. I´m not His Divine Shadow who steals other peoples souls and lives. I cannot change your decision once you made it…you have your free will Kai, and no one can take it away any longer. Like I said, I´m only here to let you consider the situation…I know about your inner disruption, it´s truly not a fair situation you´re in, I already prophesized you that…but the only thing I want is that you consider every option before you´re making a decision…!"

Kai tried to clear his mind a bit…it was all a bit too much.

His new life had started really unexpected…and now he learned that it truly shouldn´t have started again…not a nice fact to know when you´re struggling with all the uncomfortable and mostly painful sensations emanating from this new life with its ability to feel for weeks.

He felt a bit kicked in the ass…and now just because of this new life this whole universe with its entire people was threatened with destruction…as if he hadn´t already been the cause for enough destruction and deaths…he was so fed up with it. And now she wanted him in dead earnest to make a decision in this situation?

The prophetess sighed deeply, she felt his partly confusion and his fight with the situation…but she needed to get him to a point…his time was almost up…it was her last chance…

"Kai, you´re not the only one who's between the devil and the deep blue sea…I had my problems by influencing all those recent events in a way so we got this slim chance to step on the right train again…I´m more than sorry that it´s you who has to deal with this…but…" she hesitated, searching carefully for words, "…you´re the only one who is able to deal with that…there´s no one else who can be trusted to do the right things…you´ve always made the right choices, Kai, despite your own questioning, and you know that!"

Kai looked back into her jewel eyes and suddenly he felt her touching his consciousness. "Stop to think about dying, stop to trouble your mind with the question why the universe had decided to change the rules…you already know what you have to do Kai…listen to your mind _and_ your heart…_mainly_ to your heart…!" she said strictly and vanished as quickly as she had appeared.

Kai was suddenly alone in this world in-between.

A slim chance to step back on the right train…a decision…a decision

Kai opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he remembered that there was no one he could talk to…

The decision she had spoken of on Sha´ra… an unpleasant situation…when he was about to meet his best friend and his worst enemy at the same time…_death_.

He suddenly started to laugh about this irony. Once he had to die to end a tyranny, and now he should do the same as a living creature? How the heck should he do that? Even if he wanted to continue…should he live on…only to get to this point again and again…never able to die, only because his life was this time too important for this universe? Deep anger rose inside him, he turned again to the dark side:

"What if I decide to end this…if nothing is more important to me than to die…?" he shouted loud into the silent air. What if he simply crossed the line and left everything behind. "What if I am tired to play any more games?" he said a bit calmer to himself.

"Are you?" another voice asked him, a much more familiar voice. Kai turned slowly and looked into his own face – his ego from the first life stood calmly on the dayside.

This place was indeed strange…

"I…don´t know," he answered unsurely. "You haven´t hesitated at that time…although you knew that you would die…why are you hesitating now?" Kai pressed his lips together…yes, why?

He would have died…in either way. But his decision to fight against His Shadow had made an important difference in the end. It had sealed His Shadows fate. If he had died on Brunnis like everyone else, he may have died truly, but maybe two universes would have been destroyed then. So he had sealed his own tragic fate…but also His Divine Shadows. Not that he had have any choice in this…but wasn´t it the same here?

Kai wanted to die…he _wanted_ to decide to die, but was it the _right_ choice? He calmed himself down a bit, tried to do what the prophetess had suggested…considering and weighting the options. With the gift the prophetess had given him on Sha´ra, he saw again the floating pictures of future events…only that they had changed after the events on the station.

He suddenly saw a universe in chaos and angst…destruction and death…when he thought about dying. Could he really leave Xev and Stan to their fate? Could he really leave Stan in the sways of the Pr´karesh? Leave Xev in complete desperation about his death? Leave the Arcannea to a superior enemy that surely was about to destroy this ancient culture? Like His Shadow once had destroyed his own?

An inner voice whispered a soft _NO_.

His soul would never find peace if he really left them on their own. There wasn´t any excuse in putting billions of lives at the stakes only to see his biggest wish fulfilled.

But how should he go on? He was dying, there in the arms of his beloved Xev…a poison was about to end his life at the very moment…how could the prophetess talk about a slim chance to step on the right train again? What for an existence should he live? There wasn´t a way to…

_There was._

Kai´s train of thoughts stopped suddenly. Xev had mentioned it…she had told him between complete desperation and hope…and he had rejected it. Kai breathed in sharply…the reason why he had rejected it couldn´t be more obvious…this life will be given back to him with the protoblood…by injecting an insect substance into his human system…it could surely give him back life and maybe similar skills he once had possessed as the deadly assassin…he won´t be defeated that easy anymore…but was he really ready to continue an existence as a living human being with insect DNA? Be it as small as Xev had ensured it…

Kai had his doubts…he was afraid of being lead back to what he once was…

"You won´t be like me again!" he heard him say…this time it was the dead Kai, who looked at him with his deadpan face from the night side. Kai looked at his former self and shivered slightly.

No, this existence lay behind him, no one would kill him and revive him as an undead creature…but where´s the difference? Both existences were based on the need of protoblood…be it as constant supply or as part of his human DNA…

The BrunnenG inside him rebelled against the thought that something insect-like could be placed inside him…that this kind of enemy could be a part of him forever. But…what choice does he have? According to Xev was it the only cure to stop the poison from killing him.

"What will happen to me if I agree?" he asked worried. "What will I become?"

His former dead self cocked his head: "You´re Kai, last of the BrunnenG, you always was, you always will be…it´s not a question how a part of your molecular structure looks like…it´s what´s inside you mind and…heart what matters." Kai looked with astonishment at his dead ego. Strange to hear those words from him. "You cannot solve the tasks lying in wait as a normal human being…you´re not used to that, you´ve been me for 6000 years, an assassin with superhuman strength, invulnerable, but your living part has completely recovered, and you lost those skills…you´ve already failed, otherwise you weren´t here in this place. The enemy you´re fighting can´t be defeated without the deadly half you once were." Kai pressed his lips together, a movement from the side caught his attention, and his living former self appeared beside him on the dayside. "But you also need your emotions, your living human side. They´re equally important, because they´re what I once was…a person who wanted to explore, who felt the fire of the ancient warriors. Without motivation you´re not able to fight, without devotion you´re also not able to fight and…. to love." His living ego looked at him with the same burning fire he once had been filled with 6000 years ago.

Kai´s gaze dropped to the ground, looking at the strange line below his feet that separated day and night, life and death, his dead and his living former self…crossing the line in either direction didn´t make sense to him anymore.

Dead he would leave those he had learned to love behind, leave something behind his own people had fought for millennia ago…and life was only possible by swallowing the bitter pill…even if there had been another cure…a normal human life would end the same way over and over again…

"I understand…," Kai nodded slowly. "I have to continue…I have to unite with both parts of my existence – the assassin I once was and equally the living BrunnenG warrior. The undead, invulnerable Kai and the living, feeling Kai." Kai closed his eyes and tried to settle this for him. The protoblood could give him his assassin skills back, Xev had mentioned some things this Dr Noraan had already found out, and so he was able to protect and rescue again without endanger his own life. He surely could help the Arcannea best that way.

"And you will be alive enough to end your journey someday," the living Kai said smiling, cutting his train of thoughts. Kai raised one brow: "Really. I hope so, because so far there always intervened something…!" he replied sarcastically. "Everything dies someday," his dead ego said. Kai looked at him and sighed. He felt strange, truly strange…did he really consider to continue? To live on for the third time in a complete different existence? Kai sighed…_he did_. He had no choice…he couldn´t die or live with the knowledge to leave people on their own, to leave a universe on its own if he was able to prevent the worst. This would be more than unlike him…

Kai raised his gaze and nodded slowly, looked at his former dead and alive self…

"So be it…!"

In front of his eyes the clear line suddenly started to vanish, as well as the both so different forms of his existence…they united…they became one. For a brief moment he saw the black clad figure of the assassin, but without the deadpan face…this one was pretty much alive…!

Kai lowered his head and whispered: "I´m ready…if I can save billions of lives by doing this, I pass my spirit to what has to be done!"

From one second to the next the landscape started to mingle and with a blinding light it vanished…leaving deep darkness as his consciousness returned into his tortured body. But although he felt the welcoming death right next to him, he withdrew from it, only held up with this faint of hope what he was able to do by continuing.

The agony was unbearable and he screamed agonized when he woke again. He heard Xev´s voice from a great distance and he felt her body next to his burning and aching one.

Xev barely hadn´t any tears to shed. The deep sorrow she felt in her heart let her start to sing in despair. She knew that the still unconscious Kai wouldn´t sing or talk to her again soon, and she somehow felt that she had to sing this song for him…the BrunnenG always sang this song when they were expecting their death or when they went into battle. She carefully shifted his fragile body and placed his head against her shoulder. With tears in her beautiful eyes she placed a kiss on his lips. So close to him, she could clearly feel the feverish heat his body radiated.

"Kai…!" she whispered and caressed his cheek. With a trembling voice she began to sing: "Yo way yo, home var ray – yo way ra jerume BrunnenG…"

She was nearly at the end of the song when Kai woke so suddenly. Xev stopped when she felt him stirring and crying out.

Despite the pain, Kai heard what she had sung. He fought the agony back. It was moving to hear this ancient song from her lips…and this point in time was more than adequate to sing this song…but not because he expected his death…he had to fight another battle…and this time this battle should end with life…a hard burden for him to carry, but he knew that he had no choice…

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Xev..!" he whispered, a bit scared when he saw her sad expression and the grief in her eyes. Xev paid full attention and took his hand. "Kai…," she replied in a teary voice. "Please, don´t leave me alone…I don´t want to lose you…" she added begging and desperately. "Everything dies someday, darunee," he said calmly, "…but not today."

Xev just wanted to shake her head fiercely, but in surprise she stopped…what did he say?

"We don´t have any time to waste, darunee, I agree, let Noraan take a try…!" Xev breathed in and watched his keen expression carefully. Did he make a joke? No, not in that situation, he really meant it…"Really?" she asked despite. The BrunnenG nodded: "Hurry, I don´t have much…time left," his voice broke again and Xev could see his desperate but unsuccessful fight against those pain. Xev gulped and reacted at once. She laid him down onto the bed and rolled-up in her clusterlizard-shape…the fastest way she could think of to reach Noraans workroom.

The physician winced startled when she erupted. "Yes!" she shouted breathless. Noraan looked at her for two seconds, then he understood and put his datapad down. He called for his team and both hurried back to Kai.

Experienced and faster than the light Noraan and his team took care of everything. Xev stood next to Kais bed when they prepared everything. "We´re going to put him into an artificial coma and his body into stasis, they´re preparing this first step now," Noraan explained when she asked what the people were doing. Xev nodded, only calmed little because of all those devices around them now. She looked back at Kai. The BrunnenG was barely conscious. "Kai?" She took his hand. "It´s time…" He labored back into consciousness for a last time. "Sait va ta ray, Xev – do na ta va," he said low. "I love you Kai," she replied and kissed him. Kai whispered something in BrunnenG she wasn´t able to understand, then his head rolled to one side and he lost his consciousness. A nurse took her arm and dragged her aside. Two men of Noraans team pushed some buttons and a thin blue layer appeared, it covered the whole bed and Kais body only seconds later and then they started to shove the bed out of the room. Noraan nodded at her and left the room as last of his team. "Can´t I stay with him?" Xev asked. The nurse shook her head: "No, not inside the operating room. But there´s an observation room next to it. If you like I can take you there!" Xev nodded grateful and followed her. Do na ta va. She sighed and was sorry that she couldn´t speak his language…but there was at least a bit hope now that she could ask him what those words meant soon.


	25. The heir of the insects Part1

Chapter 24

**The heir of the insects Part 1**

The nurse led Xev into a side room next to the operating room. A comfortable sofa stood there and the window in front of it showed the interior of the operating room with all its high-tech equipment, the table and Noraans whole team scurrying around. Kai was lain on the table and some assistants were connecting several electrodes, devices and more to the table and to Kai, who was still covered with the blue shimmering layer. She didn´t understand all this technological and medical stuff, but she trusted them in doing everything to prevent his death.

Regarding to the busyness out there, it would take a bit time until the surgery began. She leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment. She felt drained. The worries about Kai and Stan yanked on her. Why couldn´t everything work uncomplicated and without problems? What´s the reason that no one granted her a long time of happiness? What was the reason _he_ had to suffer so much? Why?

Shereen stood like a calm and cool statue in the middle of the chaos of the tactical room inside the military headquarters on T´uara. Like the government on Sha´ra, where all the political strings were pulled, the military control was concentrated on T´uara. The third and last important base, the economy, was Arcan´s´ business.

The planet T´uara itself wasn´t very attractive, in comparison to Sha´ra or Arcan´s, it only had sufficient raw materials and for that an old mining history…the people living there originated from Arcan´s and settled there several thousand years ago, it was their success that today it is possible to live on this planet without oxygen masks and heavy equipment.

She had come here on the request of the military command. They were about to gain the latest information and she had to agree formally that the military was now deciding on its own what to do in this war, concerning the war only of course. The civil part was still in Shereens hands. But with the official attack of the Pr´karesh they were officially at war now.

She had listened silently to their debate and their strategy, when she received some news telepathically. There were some contact persons out in the outer planetary regions, and one of them called for her attention. She closed her eyes and listened to the news.

A few seconds later she interrupted their conversation:

"They ignore the outer planetary systems and are heading directly to the core planetary systems."

Te´ran furrowed his brows, he had thought of this possibility, but it was a different thing between guessing and knowing: "They´re serious. They don´t want to waste any time with senseless fights." One of the other Admirals said worried: "This leaves us much less time to reinforce our defense lines…" He pointed at the huge tactical screen where their forces were constantly shown and their positions were updated every minute.

"Any news from Shore´ ?" Shereen asked the man next to her, who worked for Shore´.

"After the successful test of the prototype, thousands of technicians were removed from their normal work and put under his command. In two hours we possess 5000 modified ships." "That´s not much…" she murmured. "But Dr Shore´ mentioned, that together with this ships he´ll send technicians out to the front line, who can start their work directly there…the modification isn´t very complicated. It´s just a change of the ships bio-molecular sequence," the assistant pointed out. Te´ran rubbed his chin. This news were like music in his ear. "That sounds like we´re having a larger amount of ships available soon…!" "Yes." "Okay. Then we have to make a decision. We have to order them to the frontline. The frontline, which protects our core planets…that´s the only way to win some time. We have to stop the Pr´karesh there. With those ships we surely have a bigger chance to do that." "We can use them as shields for our unmodified ships…," another Admiral pointed out. "Yes. But it´s necessary that we get back to our fleet in time. I suggest that we discuss the rough strategy now, the rest later…" The half a dozen men and women nodded to his suggestion. "Prepare for leaving, we have to built up this frontline as fast and as strong as we can…!" Te´ran waved and closed the meeting and everyone left.

Shereen looked at him: "So we have to say goodbye now?" Te´ran took her hand. "I fear, yes, we have to…!" Shereen sighed. "Okay. Everyone has to do what he has to do…promise to take care, okay?" "I´ll always do, darling," Te´ran smiled and gave her a kiss and a warm embrace, then he left.

Shereen watched him leaving before she turned to her personal assistant Al´a. "We should return to my office on Sha´ra…" she said. "There´s a new message for you, Mrs President, high priority," the assistant said and gave her a datapad while they left the room to get back to their shuttle. "What´s that?" she asked. "It´s the report about the autopsy of the Pr´karesh terrorists killed on the station. Yareena sent it," "Okay, but I´m not really sure why this should be of any interest to me…strange, well, I take a look at it as soon as I´m back in my office. Anything else?" "Yes, the project is prepared and ready," "Very well Al´a. Thank you." Shereen smiled. Al´a gave her the datapad and both entered their shuttle back to Sha´ra.

Back in her office, Shereen almost groaned when she saw all those reports on her desk. She really hated bureaucracy…with this new status to be on war, there was more work to do than before…

But she concentrated on Yareenas message first. It was more than strange that she should read a forensic report…

But after the first sentences she understood.

"This can´t be true!" she said aloud and read it again and again...but the letters formed the same words...they didn´t change. She activated her computer and made a call directly to the leading coroner, who wrote the report and with whom Yareena had talked before.

She greeted him shortly and asked without any further delay: "Are you really sure about it?" "Mrs. President!" The man on the screen answered calmly and bowed his head in respect. "We got the same results over and over again when we checked their blood, their DNA...!" "Insect-DNA...I cannot believe it...," she said completely shocked. "We tested it twice and triple... All two deceased Pr´karesh showed the same abnormalities...!" "But how? I mean, they´re humans, not insects...!" "That´s true...we assume that it´s definitely artificially caused, but how...that´s impossible to detect. But the most important question is where this insect DNA comes from..." The coroner got exactly to the point...Shereen had a vague idea, but nothing she would discuss now. The news were all to fresh and shocking. "We know that the Pr´karesh use insect technology in their ships...but I never thought that they would treat humans the same as their ships. It´s an important discovery, Dr., but as long as we don´t know more, it has to stay confidential. I assume it isn´t the last time we are confronted with such...abnormalities," she said with a faint of disgust in her voice. "I understand. As they were the first Pr´karesh we were able to examine, we cannot rule out that others might be treated the same way. Or they were modified and trained that way to fulfill their mission…and they were only a few. It´s hard to say without further …corpses. But as soon as we may got different information, I´ll report," the coroner said and closed the channel. Shereen leaned back and put her hands over her face. This couldn´t be true. The Pr´karesh were already manipulating and modifying humans with insect DNA! She was truly shaken to the core.

Was this the new philosophy of their enemies? Was this what they had in mind for the rest of this universe? To modify or in the end cross humans with insects? If they were really about to lose this war...she rather wanted to be dead in the end than to witness such incredible deeds. Their ancestors had fought against the insects for a reason...and she didn´t want a resurrection of this civilization, neither as insects nor as human-insect breed.

Another question troubled her.

Where did the Pr´karesh have the knowledge about manipulating the human physiology from? Maybe Kai had been right when he pointed out that there was someone from the Cluster among the Pr´karesh who brought the technology and the knowledge about insects back into the DarkZone. Their ships and weapons were clearly a sign for that. Shereen sighed. Questions over questions. She shook her head and rubbed her cheeks.

She took a long look outside her window, watched some fishes being hunted by one of Sha´ras huge sea predators.

Her thoughts went back to her recently made decision. She asked herself if this had been the right decision. Where would the difference between Kai and the Pr´karesh be after that? Will there be any? Had she agreed to the same horror the Pr´karesh were already spreading over the universe?

It had been a tough decision, one they always have to keep a secret, but have they gone to far?

She wasn´t sure, but how should they keep him alive otherwise? How should they keep the prophecy alive without him? The prophetess couldn´t have been wrong about that. They needed the BrunnenG to help them that was what the prophecy said: he was their only hope.

Giving up their ethical worries maybe was the most important thing they had do…hadn´t their ancestors used insect technology too? Weren´t the BrunnenG those who started to use insect technology first? They had been intelligent enough to see that without an equal technology, assimilated to human needs, they would lose the war. So they had started to build insect ships and weapons. Admitted, using technology or changing humans biology was a difference, but did they really have another choice?

No...the Pr´karesh should never never win...they had to stop them...with every possibility…and she was aware that this wasn´t the only sacrifice they have to give to secure the DarkZone. Somehow a feeling told her that it was not the end…

Shereen put her attention back on her computer, she knew she should inform some people with this news, but what would happen then? If the people learn it, there would surely be a huge riot going throughout the Alliance…still the Arcannea were to much like their ancestors, the passion to fight against such a threat would grow immediately…but she doubted that the people inside the insect ships were all like the terrorists…they had been special skilled and trained man, on an important mission, it made sense. But killing others under the suspicion that they were maybe modified would be genocide. It was enough that everyday hundreds on both sides were killed…pure human or not…the coroner was right…they needed more information on that. She called Al´a and gave her some orders. Maybe their forces on the frontline could help to solve that question. As the Pr´karesh were approaching them now…there should be a possibility to find some corpses they could examine.

But much more important to her was their hope to stop the Pr´karesh right there…they needed more time, much more time…if they weren´t able to beat them in open battle, they should think about other solutions. And one was already zipping inside her head…

Before Dr Noraan entered the operating room, he called on Xev. He had to talk to her before he did this surgery. While his team prepared everything for the upcoming surgery, he quickly visited the laboratories for the latest information…and these results worried him deeply.

When they started to find a way to combine the human blood with the protoblood, they hadn´t put enough attention to the question what for unexpected impacts it may could have. Their excitement that there was indeed a way they were able to combine both substances, with it the elimination of the poison and additionally some increased skills, they had pushed back the thought that every light bore some darkness.

When they ran their tests with the combined human blood and the protoblood, some strange things happened. Two of their three specially cultured test subjects suddenly reacted very aggressively and tempered and started to fight against each other…as if someone had pulled a trigger- until they finally had killed each other…! He couldn´t explain this behavior, it was as if they got out of control…and this truly worried him now. What if this would happen to Kai too?

The second thing that made him wonder, was that only two of the three test subjects reacted that way. The third one didn´t. After some talking with the lab workers, he suddenly had a suspicion why. One of his assistants made him think that. Joking he had said that test subject #3 always had been the most stubborn and strongest of the trio. First Noraan couldn´t imagine that this could be the reason that this one stayed unaffected from the protoblood, but in the meantime he was sure that it was the protoblood that caused this effect, cause it reminded him to some important details about Kais past which he had gathered from 790 before.

Kai had been a merciless killer on the command of this His Divine Shadow…and there were only two possibilities that had stopped him: either he ran out of protoblood or he got his memories and personality back.

It was only a vague assumption. Regarding to the test subjects he must have had the same strong will to fight against the protobloods influence than test subject #3. Thinking about this, he couldn´t rule out such a strange idea. Why not…? If this protoblood was able to influence a persons will and personality that massive…why shouldn´t there be people who were able to resist? Maybe Kai had been like test subject #3….with his personality and memories he knew what had happened and he had a will that could control the influence, without it…His Shadow had a walk-over on him. It sounded logically to him…but he didn´t want to leave it to chance…he had to talk to Xev first…about this chapter of his past she knew much more than any computer data was able to tell him.

He entered the surveying room and woke her gently when he found her asleep. "What happened?" she asked yawning. "Nothing right now. They are still preparing everything…we have to talk before I start, Xev…something really worries me…!" Xev was wide awake when she heard the concern in his voice. "What´s it?" she asked. Noraan started to tell her about the recent results and his examination. He asked her: "Xev, is it right that he started to fight against His Shadow after he had regained his memories, his will? To say it that way: Was he able to fight against the will the protoblood, His Divine Shadow, had over him before?" Xev nodded: "Yes, that´s true…with hindsight, he wasn´t the only one…Yottskry also resisted His Shadows will till the end and tried to help us…" "Yottskry?" "Oh, he was a Divine Cleric. He was killed when he tried to prevent the resurrection of His Divine Shadow as the Gigashadow. But when we arrived on the Cluster to get Kai more protoblood, he was resurrected with protoblood from the Gigashadow to stop us. Also His Divine Shadows essence invaded him, but despite…he controlled it. Till the end…how Kai told me," she remembered. "Okay…that seems to be another fitting case…we can say that a strong will is needed to control the effects of the protoblood. Interesting," Noraan nodded and was a bit relieved about his confirmation of the theory he had developed. "Why is that so important?" "Maybe it let my worries vanish into thin air…" "Maybe?" she asked shocked. "There´s always a risk. Do you know of any situation since he had his personality back that he wasn´t under his own control? Maybe something like a backslide?" Xev turned pale and pressed her lips together. "Unfortunately…yes. One time he nearly killed Stanley, because he had entered the wrong sequence order of the waking call of his cryopod. He injured Stanley deadly…but fortunately we found some medics to save his life. Kai got his control back only a few seconds after he had fired his weapon. But the second time…!" Noraan bowed forward with interest. "This time he was woken again with the wrong sequence, not only with the wrong order, but completely wrong. We took some stranded teens aboard...and well, they only had rubbish things in mind…they woke him…and he went nuts. He hadn´t had any control over what he was doing. One of the teens ordered him to kill everyone aboard…and he almost did that. He killed the teens and if he hadn´t run out of protoblood he would have killed me and Stanley too. 790 told us that the programming was completely corrupted…and after we gave him fresh protoblood and woke him correctly, everything went normal again," Xev sighed and looked worried at Noraan. "Do you think that the protoblood could hurt him this way?" Noraan thought a few seconds about the things she had told him.

Well, Kai wasn´t in need of a cryopod and external programming anymore...maybe this was enough to prevent any kind of danger from this side. "I´m full of hope that he is able to control it like he did it before. He has the best condition to do that, Xev. I´m calmed a bit after you confirmed the observations I made…the risks are still high, but with every bit of information we possess we can diminish it." "I know," Xev said and looked through the window. The preparations seemed to be done, because Noraan rose from the sofa and put his hand on her shoulder. "We´ll keep an eye on every change, on every strange incident, I promise!" "Xev smiled bravely: "We have nothing to lose, right?" Noraan nodded. "Good luck!" she said low. Noraan squeezed her shoulder shortly and left the room.

He entered the lock to the operating room and put on his special clothes. His team already waited for him, they were ready. Noraan walked to the table Kai had been lain on and nodded at his colleagues... some very hard hours lay in front of them…

They put Kai into a deep artificial coma, his body was still under the stasisfield they had erected around him, this made sure that all body functions were frozen in this state he was in. The only exception was his brain. As it wasn´t affected by the poison yet, it was still working normally – and with a special device it was disconnected from the body and reconnected to an external supply circulation, where a special fluid replaced the blood and kept it going, then they started to empty the rest of Kai´s body from the poisoned blood. The old blood structure would be of no use after the new genetic structure was generated. The old DNA may could interfere with the new one and ruin everything.

Xev observed the events very concerned. She wasn´t sure what would happen in the end. What would it have for consequences? In theory everything sounded so…logic, so simple…but now…in practice. It hurt her so to see Kai exposed again on a table, with lots of people around him who were experimenting with his body. He looked as pale as he once had been, so lifeless…

She had done a surgery on him weeks before, but this one of course had been different. She knew that he would be completely alive after it…She tried not to count how many times his body had been altered in his life…or rather existence…too many times in fact. How must he feel about this part? His own body must be almost alien to him now. All these changes. She deeply hoped that it was the last time…once and for all.

Xev leaned back on the couch and watched the ongoing surgery.

Six hours passed…Xev yawned suddenly, she had grown very tired from all the observing, although she couldn´t recognize much. The team was hurrying around, doing this and that, pushing buttons, injecting fluids into his body…but nothing she really could detect.

The wall screen showed a scan of his body and unknown symbols appeared and disappeared on it – every time the team added some data or when it was automatically updated. It was an always returning ritual…nothing really exciting.

She sighed and closed her eyes to relax a bit. Her thoughts suddenly went unintentionally back to Stan.

There weren´t much news about his kidnapping, who should have told her? She really felt a bit detached from the world outside this hospital. Hadn´t the nurse told her an hour ago about the fact that the Arcannea now were officially on war with Pr´karesh, she would have believed that she was the only person in this hospital. The nurse was deeply worried behind her professional mask, and Xev felt with her. This were no good news. Nowhere seemed to be any good news at the moment.

"Stay strong Stan…we won´t forget you, I promise!" she murmured. Sometimes the whole universe seemed to be against them…in days like these. It was so unfair sometimes…couldn´t…

Her thoughts suddenly drifted off, and she didn´t really notice that she fell asleep again.

"Well done," Noraan praised his team when they all watched the next data update with excitement. Within this six hours they succeeded with the alteration of his complete DNA.

Like Noraan had explained to Xev, they had changed a specific functional group in Kai´s DNA, so one of the active DNA-groups of the protoblood will be able to connect, as soon as it was inserted into his system. As every blood cell was a carrier of the DNA, both substances would mingle by getting access to each other with this both active parts.

But this was only the first step. Noraan hoped that, if everything worked right, the protoblood would be reproduced the same way the hemoglobin does…because now it would be a part of it.

But this point they hadn´t reached yet. After the alteration of the DNA, they deactivated the stasis field that kept him in this frozen state and they also disconnected the external brain supply when the new hemoglobin production started. Slowly they supported the restarting body functions and watched carefully over the new created type of human blood. It was still inconsistent, because of the missing protoblood and impended to fall completely apart, but very special drugs and applications prevented that. The team had to wait to a specific point until enough blood was produced again…then they inserted the first small probe of protoblood into his blood circulation, some devices again supported this step.

Under laboratory conditions it had worked very nice to combine the newly created blood type with the changed DNA with the protoblood. But this had been on a small scale…they needed to start carefully with that procedure on the big scale.

Soon it was clear that it worked indeed very fine, better than they expected. With incredible speed the small amount of protoblood spread inside his body. The team saw it in molecular detail on the wall screen.

They stopped the hemoglobin production at once with some drugs and inserted as much protoblood into his system as needed, they had calculated the exact amount of protoblood that was needed to stabilize every currently available blood cell. The protoblood automatically removed the stabilizing drugs and overtook their place, it was an amazing and exciting experience for the physicians.

After this step, Noraan reduced the medicaments that prevented the hemoglobin production…it was about time to see if the newly added information to his DNA was able to reproduce itself completely with the rest.

It was the definitely most exciting moment…

This whole process took again over 4 hours.

Noraan rubbed his chin nervously and stared on the screen. "Blood pressure is rising, I register a growing amount of blood cells," one of the assistants reported. "It´s working…" Dr Grathanar whispered with big eyes and pointed at the screen. He was right. The number of blood cells was continuously rising, and none of them was different…they all had the protoblood-hemoglobin molecules…"Blood circulation is stable…the organs are starting to work again and the heart frequency is within the calculated range," the assistant reported again by surveying the data on a computer. "What about the poison…Tow´a?" Noraan asked his toxicologist. The woman observed the computer monitors that showed the presence of the poison inside his body with critical eyes.

After they removed his blood and put his body into stasis, the spreading of the poison was stopped, but the current deactivation was reactivated when they removed the stasis field. The incomplete blood cells had been a more easy target for the aggressive poison, which waited like a hungry tiger inside his body…until the protoblood was inserted. As easy as it removed the drugs, it now deactivated the poison.

The concentration of poison was constantly dropping…much faster since Kais blood circulation started to work again. "It works…the poison is nearly eliminated." She looked up and smiled. "Good work, colleagues!" Noraan closed his eyes grateful for a moment. "Thanks to all gods…then let us finish this surgery. Any strange observations?" He asked. "Not yet, this new condition shows some different values from normal humanoid ones, his blood pressure is lower, his body temperature seem to stay about six degrees Celsius lower than usual, around 30, instead of 36,

but nothing we should worry about." Noraan nodded. "Okay. But we know what happened to our test subjects. After we are done here, he will be under strict observation until we are sure that nothing like that is going to happen, understood?"

His assistant handed him a data pad and Noraan signed it. "I leave the completion to you now…my part is done. Thank you for your outrageous work colleagues. I´m very proud to be part of this amazing team…!" He smiled with relief at every one and his colleagues smiled back. He gave his assistant the data pad back. "A complete report in six hours please…!" Then Noraan left the operating room, changed his clothes in the lock again and made his way to the observing room to Xev.

She protested when she was woken so sudden from sleep. Tired she looked puzzled at Noraan. Her brain started to think slowly again, Noraan was here…She got up quickly. "What happened?" she asked nervously. She managed to take a look into the operating room, but the window was dark. "Everything alright Xev. The surgery is done, quite successful, better I thought." Noraan said smiling. "Really?" she asked. "Oh yes, in about twelve hours we surely know more. If there will be problems concerning what we talked about recently we should know then. But the modification worked very well. The poison is eliminated by the protoblood like we expected…but before I go into detail again…I…" Noraan yawned, "I have to get some sleep first."

Xev closed her eyes for a brief moment, a little relief washing over her. It had worked! Kai was alive! "Sure, how long…?" she asked then. "Nearly 12 hours…" Noraan yawned again and started to walk towards the exit. "Am I allowed to stay with him now?"she asked and hurried after him. "Sure. He will be under constant observe…to prevent any discomforting surprises. But despite I want you to be careful!" He said and turned back to her. Xev nodded hesitantly. She nearly got to excited and happy about those first good news that she nearly forgot the things Noraan had discovered before they started the surgery. "I´ll show you the way Xev, and then I leave you, if you don´t mind!"

Both left the room and Noraan led her to the intensive care room. "Take this…if something unexpected happens, someone will take a look then, okay? Kai will be in here in an hour. My team is finishing the surgery, but you can wait here. I´ll be back in about 6 hours, but he shouldn´t wake in that time. But just in case!" Xev nodded and received an alarm sensor from Noraan. "Thank you!" then she slipped inside the room and was alone.

She sat down on one of the chairs and leaned back, waiting for the promised arrival. She was still tired, but managed to stay wake until the doors opened again and Kai was shoved inside in a bed. Three of Noraans team worked fast and quiet on the equipment and then they left the room with a curious gaze at Xev, but they didn´t say anything.

Kai lay motionless in his bed, observed by many monitors and devices. Xev took her chair and sat down next to him. Carefully she examined her friend. She had been a bit afraid that the surgery may have changed something…but in his appearance she couldn´t detect anything different. From the outside he hadn´t changed. He was clearly marked from the stress he had gone through, but even he was still pale like hell, he stayed the same attractive and beautiful person he was. Softly she laid her hand on his arm and her head onto it. "Please, wake up soon, Kai! You´re needed!" And I need you the most! she added in thoughts. Seconds later she was asleep again too.


	26. The heir of the insects Part2

Chapter 25

**The heir of the insects Part 2**

Kai´s consciousness awoke slowly from the stasis-coma. Even in this state he already felt differences to what had been before. He knew that something must be different…but he couldn´t grab it clearly. He was still too disconnected from his body. Everything was more a vague premonition.

The bit of consciousness he felt returning concentrated on another thing…

The way back to life had been hard for him, and he wasn´t really sure if the decision he had made in this strange world in-between, would become reality.

He had heard Xev say, that the way to bring him back held enough danger…but if he interpreted the current situation right…it must have worked. He was still alive - the poison hadn´t killed him.

A part of him still saw it with regret…but he knew that it was necessary.

Kai decided to wake up again…he needed to know what they had done with him…and he needed to know what this strange nagging sensation he felt about this huge difference meant.

But waking up wasn´t that easy.

As soon as he tried to escape his unconsciousness, something went wrong…he recognized that he couldn´t wake up.

Don´t even try it…you have no chance

If he could have furrowed his brows in irritation, he surely would have. The words, which rang through his mind weren´t communicated to him in a human voice. But despite he recognized the language it was sent in: it was binary-coded.

It was needless to say that only one part of him, a part _inside_ him could transfer such messages...

His mind nearly crashed with something, which he never believed to see activated again. It was his brain implant. The chip the bioscholars had implanted in his brain to analyze, to control the processes among the other implants in his undead body.

And next to the protoblood it had been the most important part of a Divine Assassin. It held the programming that let him receive orders...from His Shadow - transferred to him through the protoblood. And so the protoblood somehow had some control over the programming. The mindless assassin he had been had never had any chance to refuse the orders...this changed when he got his will back...his will had been strong enough to fight the protobloods influence and so the will of His Divine Shadow... Instead of it controlling him, he diminished its influence and the mindless assassin was history.

Of course, the chip also contained important information about strategy, fighting and everything else he needed to know to hunt his victims down...together with his specially altered brain a dangerous and lethal combination.

After he got his life back, and since Xev removed every other implant from his living and breathing body, it became nearly completely useless to him. He rarely thought about this only remain of his former existence, but he could have sworn that some information was still gripped from it, like the fighting, every move he had made on the station had been somehow familiar to him...he couldn´t deny this. But his assumption that the chip was useless, not longer needed and just a remain turned out bitterly wrong...

The programming had been shut down when it was clear that something on the outside had changed. But still some fragments were active and supported his brain with data, with information. Like the fighting, how Kai already guessed right. Otherwise there was no need for the program to be active...it had nothing to do once the parts it had communicated with, were disconnected from it.

But suddenly there was something that reactivated this program...there were new orders...orders that it had received a long time ago...when it had made the person he was attached to had been the most dangerous individual in the universe…a Divine Assassin.

Following those old chain of command this dangerous potential awoke...

Kai was helpless against this combined potential...he crushed into a wall, which was only the first step to take control…his mind was dragged back inch by inch, as fierce as he wanted to get back some control, he was pushed backwards, until his mind was caught in an unimportant region of his brain, where he couldn´t do anything.

Kai was shaken to the core. No…this should not happen…not again!

He recognized very fast what was going on...

It was the protoblood, which had a more fatal impact on him than anyone thought. Kai felt a deja vu…this wasn´t something alien to him…he had experienced this before…

His will and his self trapped, imprisoned.

The protoblood really had reactivated the programming once it came in contact with the implant. Deeply unconscious, in stasis-coma, Kai couldn´t have done anything…there was no will, no conscious self which was able to fight the influence the protoblood now started to gain over the programming, and the programming didn´t know the difference...it just followed orders. As long as he wasn´t in charge of controlling, meaning fully conscious, it was like he was under control by His Shadow again…

He remembered at once another situation much more similar to this one…

Once a wrong waking sequence had done the same on him. The wrong waking sequence had corrupted the whole delicate programming and with it the whole balance between his willpower, the protoblood and the programming. As a result, the protoblood influenced the programming and took control over him…his sleeping and trapped conscious had no chance…it never woke up to gain control in time.

It was a worse situation…and it shocked Kai to the core that even alive this damn insect substance was able to put everything in disorder…thanks to the still available implant. He asked himself what should happen now…all those situations had one thing in common: He alone was not in the position to get out of this situation…

And this time, he feared that it wasn´t done by refreshing his protoblood and a corrected waking sequence.

And another important question arose: What about Xev and Dr Noraan? Were they aware what awaited them once he, better said, his body woke? He wasn´t sure…as successful as the surgery had been, this outcome would shock them clearly. He had to warn them from his assassin side…but how? He couldn´t see any possibility to escape this mental prison the protoblood had created through the programming for his mind. But he had to find one…or the prophecy of the prophetess of the deep sea was about to find a sudden end.

Some hours later.

At the begin of his new shift Noraan directly went to Kai. His assistant handed him a data pad when he entered the room and left. Xev turned from the window, she had stared out for some time, and smiled a bit.

The sleep had done good to her…she felt a bit more energized and much better. Noraan smiled back and studied the data. "He´s still asleep, " Xev said sighing. Not that she expected anything different, Noraan had told her that he wouldn´t wake that soon.

"No…he´s not…!" Noraan said suddenly and checked again some data with furrowed brows. Xev made a quick step next to Kai. "He´s awake? Is he reacting?" she asked excited. "Seems so…but much to early. Be careful Xev!" he advised her when she sat down onto the bed and touched his cheek. "Kai?" she asked, then suddenly his eyelids fluttered. Noraan was alarmed when he went through all the data columns and from time to time he looked at the monitors.

His brain activity was very high…but on the other hand it shouldn´t, the delta waves showed clearly that he was asleep…or maybe it was only a part of him that was asleep…? He remembered that the test subjects also showed clearly delta waves, although they were very active…An alarm rang inside his head…this wasn´t normal…

The eyes opened slowly. After a moment _it_ had oriented and looked into another pair of eyes…Xev was her name, some memories told _it_. _It_ knew that Kai felt love for her…but _it_ only felt hate and anger for this human creature. It was in _its_ nature to feel hate for humans…the only thing _it_ loved was to kill them…

Kai could only witness the reaction of his awaking body and the alien power helplessly.

No he shouted with his minds voice.

Yes! came the "answer" back with cruel impassibility.

His eyes turned yellow and _it_ didn´t hesitate long. _It_ looked at her with a deadpan face and said: "I kill you in the name of His Divine Shadow!" In lack of any weapon, _it_ just used _its_ hands and tried to grab her throat.

Xev watched his reaction with horror. She jumped back just in time before he was able to grab her. She looked shocked into his yellow eyes…these really scary eyes she had seen before…

Noraan hit the alarm sensor at once and a few seconds later several men arrived, paramedics and security. They fought with Kai over 10min. until they got him under control. They bound him to onto the bed and Noraan injected a special drug into his system. It was resistant against the protobloods regenerating effects and paralyzed Kai at once. Motionless he laid there, only his eyes were following every move inside the room.

Noraan sighed and said: "I fear this experiment was a lot too successful, he has as good as the tripled strength of an ordinary man," he growled and rubbed his arm. Xev looked from Kai to the security men, then to Noraan. "And now?"

Noraan shook his head. He had hoped that exactly this wouldn´t happen…Why hadn´t Kai succeeded in fighting the protobloods influence? Turned his will out not strong enough in the end? Or had he ignored some facts? "I don´t understand it either Xev…" he said and checked again some data. He was obviously fully conscious but his delta waves were still highly active…this was really strange. Xev drew closer to the heavily tied up BrunnenG. "Be careful Xev!" Noraan warned again and nodded at the two security men, who were still in the room and kept an eye on him.

"Kai? What´s with you?" she asked confused. The BrunnenG fixed her with his yellow eyes and growled in a deep tone: "I´ll kill you…!" Xev shivered when she heard his flat, completely emotionless voice…it was the worst horror for her to see _this_ Kai again… "That´s not you, Kai…fight it, you have a will of your own! I know that!" For a brief moment she believed that he succeeded, but then it was over. Xev stared at him a little while longer, then she dropped her gaze and turned sadly. She couldn´t see him staring at her with this cruel smile and the scary emotionless eyes. That wasn´t _her_ Kai…

Kai himself on the other hand saw what was going on like an outsider…it was horrible for him to watch how helpless Noraan and Xev were. Xev´s scared and terrified expression hurt him a lot. There must be a way…somehow…he had to free his will…somehow. But this would be difficult...the protoblood controlled the programming and the programming held his mind captive...he couldn´t do anything before the programming was deactivated...but how should he break through this strong wall it had built around his mind?

He just needed a short moment, to tell them what had happened. Once they had a clear view on the whole thing they might find a way, he believed that Noraan was intelligent enough to find one. He just had altered his whole biology!

Kai moved the bit he was able to and searched for a gap in the mental barrier…he was sure that it must have weakpoint…and after a few seconds he believed that he found one – he tried to break through…that had been the moment where Xev thought he had reacted.

Of course he was blocked very quickly. But he mustn´t give up…he couldn´t! They had traveled so far, they saved his life when no one really believed there was a way. Should _he_ give up now? He couldn´t disappoint anyone outside there…his life had been in foreign hands too often…it was about time to demand it back into his hands.

Once learned how to detect weakpoints, he found several more and checked them out. The control wasn´t perfect…not yet. But he knew that there wasn´t much time left…he pulled all his remaining mental strength and concentrated…he only had one more try!

"What should we do?" Xev asked the physician. Noraan sighed. He had studied all the data but hadn´t any clue…he couldn´t see a line in all this strange data…it was all too weird.

"Xev…!" A low strangled voice called her name and both they turned very surprised. Kais voice was very low and trembled with exhaustion, but it was definitely him! Xev hurried carefully next to him. "Kai?" she asked doubtfully, examining his flashing eyes, they turned from yellow to normal and back. Implant…brain... protoblood controls… programming…only way! were the only words he was able to communicate, then his consciousness was pushed brutally back inside the mental prison – the gap he had discovered was closed. Kai felt exhausted, but he hoped that they had been able to understand what he wanted to tell them.

Noraan also listened carefully to those few words and looked at Xev in surprise. "That´s the reason!" she shouted. "His implant…the chip!" Noraan furrowed his brows, his thoughts racing. "It still carries the old programming, right?" Xev nodded. "Yes. Why hadn´t we thought about this earlier? What if…?" "…If the protoblood had reactivated this programming? Kai was unconscious, in coma, this might be the reason why he couldn´t take control after waking…it isn´t him who is wake now…I think I understand what happened." Noraan quickly checked the data and nodded.

"That´s it! When we´re unconscious, deeply asleep or in trance you can determine this condition by delta waves. That´s what I saw all the time on the screen here, even he seemed to be wake. But Kai wasn´t. The moment he was able to tell us this important information, the delta waves fell down, I think that his consciousness must be somehow "imprisoned", put asleep- in trance, it was

the protoblood, it has reactivated the programming and together they control him now. The program keeps him apart from waking...and apart from willing the protoblood.

I think that´s the same thing that happened with him when he was dead…when he was woken wrong. The wrong wake-up call corrupted the programming, his mind, his will got imprisoned and the protoblood took control again...well, you know what happened.

I think our situation here is similar, asleep he isn´t able to control the activity of the protoblood without a protecting system like a well-functioning program.

It´s not really a big difference to us normal humans... when we´re sleeping our brain does some things we aren´t in control of too, that´s normal. We dream, we work up…we rarely have influence on this activity.

But it´s also normal for us to wake every morning with our own will because we don´t have such an aggressive and control gaining substance in our biology like he has now. The protoblood was used to control…for a reason. It has this ability…if there´s no resistance, no will…it does what it has to do…it takes control! And Kai´s implant with the programming is the ideal thing to get complete control." Noraan scratched his chin. "But he isn´t an undead machine anymore. We can´t reprogram him!" Xev said worried. "Maybe we can…not him, but the chip. It´s only mathematics Xev. If we can get control over the implant, deactivating it, maybe he is able to escape his mental prison, that means he is able to wake...and then he can take control again.

The protoblood might be a strong substance, but I believe that it is only so strong because the programming supports it!" "And how would you get access to it?" Xev asked skeptically. "We have specialists for that sector. I think they surely have an idea how to do that!" Noraan nearly ran outside the room to make some calls.

Xev breathed in and looked back to Kai, who lay there with half closed eyes. She wasn´t really convinced about Noraans strange idea, but she trusted him. She sat down on a chair and like the security men she watched Kai, but much more worried.

Noraan came back only a few minutes later, two men were with him she hadn´t seen before. The physician explained a lot to them in Arcannea. Both men were already familiar with the case, because they had attended the surgery before. Noraans team spanned a lot of specialists from nearly every sector in medicine, biology, genetics…they mostly were highly decorated and skilled Arcannean. It was something he was really proud of. And in this one special case it had proofed everything he ever expected from this team…the team-work, its secrecy and its success.

Noraan looked at Xev who sat on a chair with questioning eyes. He interrupted their talk for a moment. The work they had to do here was very important and no interruption and mistakes should happen once his colleagues had started.

He took her arm gently and led her to the door. "Xev, he´s in skilled hands now. I suggest that you leave now and return to my work room. 790 is also there…!" Xev wanted to protest, but she saw how senseless any argumentation was. The men needed to be alone now…they needed all concentration, whatever they were up to do now…

Noraan told one of the nurses to take Xev back to his room and bring her some food, for he knew that she hadn´t eaten anything for hours.

He also knew that he couldn´t do much more now, not for Xev and not for Kai…this was part of another faculty now…

But there wasn´t any relieve as long as he wasn´t back to normal!

The both specialists didn´t hesitate with their work. Well skilled in programming, they hectically discussed how they could get access to Kai´s implant.

They placed a few electrodes on his forehead and tried to get contact to the chip inside Kais head. It wasn´t hard to determine its position and soon they started to examine the chips structure and programming.

It didn´t take them long to find a way.

With a special programmed virus, they sent to the chips main control unit, they gained control over it. With a few commands they isolated the misguided programming.

Their success wasn´t only visible in columns of data on a screen, noticing something inside was going on, it withdrew and left the BrunnenG now really unconscious.

Now the specialists concentrated on a way to condition the chip so the influence of the protoblood would fade and would give Kai a chance to escape the prison his mind was put in.

After half an hour discussing about the possibilities, they decided to replace the current programming with a new, modified version. It would exactly be the same like the old one, but they added a small but very important thing to it: a firewall. It should prevent any further attacks from the protoblood every time Kai would fall asleep or unconscious again.

And no one else as Kai himself would be able to control the program as soon as he was wake again. Noraan watched over all the significant brain waves during the process. When the specialists shut down the active implant and restarted it anew with the update, he carefully looked at the delta waves...if all would work correctly, the new programming should free Kais mind and help him to get conscious again. He nervously waited. "Come on Kai, you can make it!" he whispered.

After the exhausting but so valuable moment when he was able to tell them about his situation, he couldn´t do anything but waiting for a chance. And this chance came...he didn´t know how much time had passed, but he noticed a change...the sudden withdrawing of pressure from the combined power of the programming and the protoblood surprised him, still a bit suspicious he tried to escape from the corner of his mind he had been imprisoned in. There wasn´t much resistance any longer...contrary…suddenly the chip, the programming supported him, protected him. Kai bravely moved forward and with a sudden strike he triumphed over the protobloods struggle to hold control…

The protobloods influence drooped near zero and the fight was over…it was almost the same like before…

Knowing that nothing would stop him from waking now, he took his time and tried to get an impression about this new condition, about the changes he now was able to feel. It was a bit surprising how strange his new condition felt like. But at least...he felt something, and this was somehow a relief. He found out that he now got easily access to the programming and with it he had a complete overview about his bodies condition.

He clearly felt his blood rushing through his veins, through every part of his body, all his senses were sharpened much more and he clearly felt the difference to what had been before.

He knew that it would take much more time to discover every difference, every change, but for now all that counted was that not only the surgery was a success, also they sailed round this difficulty with the protoblood...whoever had the idea with the reprogramming…he had to show his respect to this one.

Slowly Kai followed the path that led back to consciousness.

Noraan held his breath when the delta waves suddenly dropped and showed a flat line. He turned to Kai and waited. The specialists retracted, showing clearly their satisfaction about their work.

He watched Kai carefully when he opened his eyes – they were normal again. Kai´s gaze focused on Noraan. "Kai?" he asked. Slowly the BrunnenG nodded. "Yes...I, I am myself...I think...!" he answered after a short moment. Kai tried to straighten up, but was held back from the ties. "Only precaution," Noraan said excusing. Kai raised his brows. "Seems it was truly worse," he said dryly. "Well, Xev was really beaten and scared, we all were!" Noraan said. "You know what happened?" Kai nodded, dropping his gaze. "Unfortunately, yes. The protoblood has reactivated the old programming...both controlled me...an unpleasant event...!" "I believe you. The specialists had enough to do..." Noraan started to free Kai from the ties and Kai straightened up...too fast. He sank back. "My head is swimming!" "That´ll be over soon. It´s the special anesthetic we had to inject to calm you down. You should be quite the old Kai soon!" Kai sighed: "Not quite like my old self…" Kai looked down his body, noticed that he had grown much thinner during the last days. But astonishing he didn´t feel very weak. Slowly he stretched his arm forward, to test his reflexes. Noraan watched him curiously. "I feel…changes, more and more specific now. I remember that I´ve been able to determine my condition with all the equipment I once possessed…the data was transferred to the chip…here," Kai put his finger on his forehead, "And so I knew if something was wrong…I was able to solve some problems on my own, but…not all. Major damage was a bigger problem, and even the precise detection meant more effort…!" Kai stopped, he really didn´t want to remember this part…the dead don´t break…but they go out of alignment.

"And now?" Noraan asked. "It´s different. For I don´t possess any implants the chip is able to communicate with I first thought it´s only restricted on reporting, but I feel and cognize that there´s more. It still contains the old programming?" Kai asked. "Yes. It´s still the old programming, but an updated version. To protect you from the protobloods influence if you fall unconscious we added a firewall. I don´t think that there will ever be problems." "So the assassin-programming is still present…," Kai said. There was concern in his voice…but he knew that he had no choice. He needed it. To protect himself, to protect his friends. It was a league with the devil…but it prevented a long and slow re-learning of all the things the assassin in him already knew. He badly needed those skills. "It feels very strange," he added after a moment. "I know. But I think you will adapt to it. And first of all, keep in mind that you´re still a human being, a living human being. Neither you nor Xev would have accepted anything else…it was the only way to save your life," Noraan said encouragingly. Kai looked up. "A human with a small insect part. The protoblood saved my life…it´s very ironic…there seemed to be no way for me to escape my past, and no way for me to disconnect from the heir of the insects." Kai shook his head slowly.

"The protoblood has neutralized the deadly poison. The weapon you were injured with is an ancient knife. There were always rumors that it derived from the times of the great war. That it once had been part of an insect. I have to say that I really can´t rule it out any longer. We never found an antidote, and first now…with the protoblood, also an insect substance, we found a cure. My team is still running some research to confirm that, but I wouldn´t be surprised if this assumption turned out correctly." "Do I need any additional protoblood in future?" Kai asked. "No. It reproduces along with the human blood, it´s a part of it now," Noraan explained. Kai closed his eyes for a moment, put all the information together…what he felt confirmed Noraans explaining. He could feel the protoblood rushing along with the normal blood through his veins. The presence of it was still uncomfortable, but no longer threatening…he controlled it. Better than some memories connected with his old condition...Kai quickly suppressed these unpleasant upcoming thoughts.

"There´s something you should know, Kai," Noraan interrupted his train of thoughts. Kai opened his eyes again and saw Noraan closing in with a scalpel in his hand. "We do not know to what extension your old skills will return...surely not completely, cause you are alive and to 95 human, but this might be very useful to know." The scalpel touched his arm...Kai didn´t pull back. "Your human side won´t spare you the pain, but the protoblood caused a 30 to 40 times higher regeneration rate with injuries compared to ordinary humans." Noraan softly pressed the scalpel down onto his skin and drew it along his lower arm. Kai winced: "Ah...!" A clear cut was visible for a moment, then the injury started to heal as quickly as it was caused. A slight shimmering was visible for a moment. Kai laid his other hand on his arm and examined it a bit surprised. He was fascinated. Nothing was visible after a minute. "30 to 40 times higher than usual? What does that mean? Where´s the limit?" Noraan put the scalpel aside and leaned onto the wall. The few results concerning the skills the protoblood offers weren´t many. "We are not sure. We succeeded in healing heavy injuries, deadly ones for normal humans, even the re-attaching of limbs was possible...but this of course took time...I don´t think that during a fight this is of much use. Talking about time I mean hours. If I can give you an advise: I wouldn´t recommend that you put your head under a sharp knife...this could be your death too. Your concerning injuries may be extended...but you´re not immortal!"

Kai nodded slowly, and Noraan could have sworn that he saw some relief washing over the BrunnenG´s handsome features. "I´m sorry that I cannot tell you much, but the time had been very short...I fear you have to find out about this new condition on your own. The data I was able to study from 790 about your former condition as Divine Assassin was interesting, but revealed few details. We don´t know much about advantages and disadvantages this new condition provides, I´m sorry. But I bet that you´re the one who can handle it" Noraan made a step forward. "And now I think it´s time to send Xev back to you. She must be dying of sorrow...besides, I have a few other patients...time for me to care about them. Doctors orders: you´re not leaving this hospital until tomorrow, get used to the new condition and give the regeneration a chance before you storm off into the next fight, okay?"

Kai nodded and looked after him. "Thank you!" he said before Noraan reached the door. Noraan turned and smiled warmly: "That´s the reason we´re here...to safe lives! I am happy to be a part of this dedicated team that was able to save a very important life!" Noraan said and left.


	27. Insights from the past

Chapter 26

**Insights from the past**

A thoughtful Kai stayed behind. An important life All life was important...he couldn´t see anything more important in his life compared to other lives. But in the meantime he had to learn that other persons often thought a bit different about this fact.

Kai felt still a bit weak, but nevertheless he tried to get to his feet. He just had to...

Slowly he managed to walk the few steps to the window. He leaned on the sill and looked outside.

It was almost dawn, he assumed, cause Arcan´s twin planet T´uara appeared shimmering brightly on the Arcan´an sky. From his position he could oversee the Med Center Complex and wondered a bit about the dense traffic. He could see the landing areas of the med transporters and they were used in minute cycle. Did the attack on the Station still provide so many injured people or did something happen in the meantime he wasn´t aware of? Maybe...his gaze traveled back up to T´uara.

How much time had passed? Days? Weeks? He didn´t know...he had lost all sense of time. He only knew that they had fought for their lives up there, between those two planets.

But he prevented the worst this strange vision had shown him...no matter what it had meant for him. A decision that had led him here...close to death...and to another decision. Involuntary he wrapped his arms around his body.

Another decision...one between death and life. And instead of the close chance to chose death...a final true death, he chose life... He could still feel a part of him screaming at him in anger about this decision... But he hadn´t have another choice.

Again...

But there was a difference this time. This time he _knew_ what consequences it would have if he had chosen death. And this consequences wouldn´t have been something he could die with.

Not with the knowledge that his friends and billions of people would die because he made a decision only concerning his interests!

But a bitter question was still in his mind: Would this never ending cycle of life-death-reincarnation and almost death ever end for him?

Believing what the prophetess said, it would some day, but not in the near future. He had to go on with the decision he had made...there were some bills to pay and some lives to safe...

It didn´t calm him completely, but it was a compromise he could deal with.

Kai stretched his left arm slowly. 95 human... How much human was that? he asked himself. Admitted, he had a lot of human emotions, his body was absolutely normal, there were no technical devices who allowed him to continue this life, also no huge biochemical alteration of his body.

But what he couldn´t ignore was the genetic modification they had done with the protoblood.

It was really ironic how interwoven his existence, his fate, had been with the heir of the insects.

Although he had killed the last insect 2000 years after his people had been killed by it, the heir of it was still after him: There was the protoblood that had kept him in this undead state for 6000 years – the Lexx – then they accidentally were confronted with insect technology in the DarkZone, along with a conflict the descendants of the ancient BrunnenG allies were involved in – he was injured with an obvious insect weapon that nearly killed him, but his life was saved with protoblood...it was really strange. Kai let his arm sink, his gaze shifted back to the scenery outside...but he only saw his reflection in the window glass.

He narrowed his eyes when he saw himself...was this pale and thin man really him? He was a bit shocked...well, no wonder, the ordeal he went through couldn´t have been worse.

But it hadn´t been the pain that had sucked all strength out of him. The mental fight in the end had been far more exhausting.

The protoblood – its effect had really scared him. More than clearly it made him understand how different humans and insects were...how hostile they were. Although his ancestors, and the Arcannean ancestors had tried to extinguish all insects during the war, they hadn´t succeed completely.

Maybe it was a historical fact…there were always remains...His Shadow. Worse enough that one insect had survived, but much more worse had been the fact that the insect technology his people still possessed, even they hadn´t much knowledge about it anymore, had turned out a restart for the spread of new insect technology throughout the LightZone.

True, the insects would never come back, even His Shadow knew that, otherwise he hadn´t tried to fight humanity with humans. But the technology was still dangerous, and the development through the bioscholars reached its top with the Lexx. Hadn´t it been Stan, instead of His Shadow, who controlled the Lexx he hadn´t guaranteed for anything. Maybe His Shadow would have destroyed human kind in the end.

On the other hand...the insect technology could be helpful…as long as it was in responsible hands! His ancestors had used it, to fight the insects, but what happened if this knowledge got in wrong hands? Well, this was about to witness a second time: here in the DarkZone. Someone was using this technology again to destroy and conquer, he didn´t know what reason was behind all that, but who knows how less this technology was still under control.

It would forever stay a threat to any living human, and he as human _and_ as BrunnenG couldn´t stand outside to watch these things happen. He hadn´t any interest that this universe was thrown into chaos…and his friends were denied a future. He simply couldn´t leave them on their own.

He thought back at Stans words in the cryochamber some weeks ago.

They were family, a strange family maybe, not in the originate meaning of the word, but somehow they were. When he got alive again more than ever, mainly because of his relationship to Xev.

Kai closed his eyes.

No, it wasn´t fair that true death was denied to him for such a long time – but he had decided correctly. There was no excuse for any other decision...this wouldn´t have been Kai.

He wasn´t an egoist, he never was in his former life and he never would be.

Besides...there was still an open account. And this counted a lot.

He had taken thousands of lives...and saved only few after he regained his consciousness. A very unbalanced account, which would never let him die with a quiet conscience. And a clever move from the prophetess...he didn´t doubt that she had overseen this fact when she forced him to make a decision. But whatever lead to this decision...now he was here, and if he had no choice about it, he would do what he had to do with every remaining strength he had...in the end he was still a BrunnenG, and the BrunnenG never stopped fighting…at least not those BrunnenG he had tried to represent 6000 years ago…

Kai opened his eyes again.

Maybe it was fairer than the first sight showed him…the prophetess wanted him to play the part he would have played if everything had happened like the cycle of time predicted.

That something strange happened wasn´t his fault…but maybe he should see a chance in it. He was able to stop the threatening downfall of this universe…and what could do more for his conscience than rebalancing the unspeakable horror he had brought over the LightZone?

Kai pressed his lips together and his thoughts went back to the fight on the station…again. He really didn´t want to think back to it, but a nagging sensation in his mind always pushed the thoughts back to this moment…was there something important he should know?

He only remembered fractions of the fight…but for a moment a name rang through his mind.

Taleron . He had heard this name on the station….but it wasn´t the first time he had heard it…

Kai´s fingers wrapped hard round the edge of the sill when he tried to remember where he had heard it before…it sounded familiar to him. Hesitating and carefully he tried to get some more information from all the memories he kept. He had locked them behind an iron-disciplined curtain and didn´t really like to retrieve information from them. But he knew that he sometimes would not have any choice…that information could be life-saving!

Kai held his breath when he found the memory he had searched for…another part of his past that caught up with him!

Not that it made him wonder…but after all he had gone through, this was another coincidence too much…

Kai remembered fairly well what the name Taleron stand for…it reminded him to the only time the Divine Assassin Kai had failed….

_6215 years ago…._

He woke from the darkness…only aware that his master needed him.

"Who would you like me to kill?" Kai had asked. His Divine Shadow signaled him to follow. Obedient like a dog he had followed and His Shadow started to give him orders, like always when he should go on a mission. With a special device His Divine Shadow transferred some data to his brain implant and showed him a picture. "This is Taleron, one of my Biovezirs. He was responsible for weapon development. He has fled from the Cluster…find him and kill him. He has gone to far with his experiments and is now threatening the security and stability of the league of the 20,000 planets. Kill everyone he gets in contact with…his knowledge shouldn´t be transferred or conserved. Make sure that he is really dead…the last assassin I sent after him was tricked and I cannot allow this a second time!" Kai nodded and accepted this mission without hesitating…as always…so automatically. The remembering Kai shivered.

He was after Taleron over five weeks…a very long time. Normally he was able to track his victims within a few days…he was His Divine Shadows most dangerous and efficient assassin for a reason. But like His Shadow already had pointed out…this Taleron was full of surprises. When he finally detected the ex-biovezir, he wasn´t able to hunt him down and kill him. The knowledge of the Cluster and its technology was a huge advantage for the ex-biovezir. He knew the weakpoint of the Divine Assassins – the protoblood. And so he had developed a weapon that was able to block the life-giving ability of the protoblood. Kai had no chance…his undead body needed the protoblood to function. At the fractal core the biovezir escaped into the DarkZone…

Kai was fetched some time later with one of His Shadows ships and transported back to the Cluster. It had been the first time he wasn´t able to carry out a task, and His Divine Shadows reaction hadn´t been unexpected after he had reported his failure after his reanimation with fresh protoblood. A memory told him that he had to spend some time with the Biovezirs until all damage done to him was completely and successfully repaired. This host of His Divine Shadow was known for his hot temper…

Kai blinked and returned into the presence.

Taleron. Weapon Biovezir of His Divine Shadow. Slowly everything made sense. Of course, Taleron was familiar with insect technology. He had developed weapon systems, those of the Lexx included, and even his own weapon, the brace, had been improved by this biovezir. Kai now had full access to all the information he still possessed from the days as assassin, and those about Taleron were still available. Almost without problems he was able to find them and extract them. Kai was able to understand the superiority of the Pr´karesh, concerning their weapon development and their insect technology based ships. If it really was Taleron, _the_ Taleron, he may have a finger in the pie. The question that remained was: How did the ex-biovezir get here?

He knew that he managed to flee into the DarkZone…but this had been 4000 years ago…

And regarding to the Presidents statement, the terror through the Pr´karesh had started barely 25 years ago. If he had been here since 4000 years, he normally should have taken this advantage and the DarkZone must have been long under his control…better said under the control of his heirs…not even a biovesir would live that long!

But of course…he couldn´t rule out that Taleron may have spent the 4000 years the same way they had…in cryosleep. Eventually he would know that when their paths crossed…he didn´t doubt that this would happen again…some feeling told him that everything that happened led to this conclusion.

Why shouldn´t the Biovezirs use his knowledge to gain power…with the insect technology he could rule this universe…and this was something Kai didn´t like to see…a second tyrant like His Divine Shadow ruling the originating home of his people! And he didn´t like the misuse of the insect technology…to huge were the dangers coming from it, it could develop a life of its own…even without an insect essence…one could see it by the example of the protoblood.

And who knows what strange ideas can be born out of some crazy Biovezirs mind in the meantime. The Arcannea didn´t know anything about this…they even hadn´t known anything about the LightZone weeks ago…

He had guessed not long ago at Shereen and his friends that there was a chance that someone else, capable of insect technology, could have survived the fall of the Cluster, but he never thought that he could have been so right….

The prophetess was right, the danger the DarkZone was in couldn´t be much worse if it was really Taleron who had his fingers in the pie.

Even he hadn´t been able to stop him, if, he really could have spared those humans here a lot of trouble. But…some things never turn out the way one wanted them to be.

Even if he hadn´t a sturdy proof of the theory he had developed, he was nearly sure that this was the most likely one. More than ever he asked himself what role the strange prophetess played in this game. True, if the cycle of time was at stake, it was no question why she had been so eager to convince him to continue. Undead or now alive…to safe the cycle he had to care about this problem, that no longer was only concerning the Arcannea. It turned out to be a more difficult thing he had expected.

It was on him to end what should have had an end 4000 years ago.

His thoughts went to Stan who already had been a victim of Taleron. There was no proof that he was still alive, but if Xev was right about the kidnapping, he must have some use for Taleron. He didn´t doubt that Taleron knew about the arrival of the Lexx here. The ex-biovezir knew this ship. And of course, this Sa´k had been suspicious to him since he caught him red-handed in Lexx cortical area. They had to free Stan as soon as possible, before Taleron learned how to extract the key to the Lexx from Stan. If Taleron was able to control the Lexx…they would lose their last and biggest chance to stop him. It was the only thing that made Stans life worth something for Taleron. He didn´t doubt that Taleron was able to squeeze information about everything else out of him, Stan wasn´t a hero.

They had to free Stanley, as soon as possible…not only to prevent that the Lexx may was lost for them…they need the Lexx, and for that they also need Stanley with the key…without it, the Lexx was as useless to them as a gun without ammo.

Something he hadn´t felt for millennia hit him in an instant: true motivation and firmness. He had a task…an honorable mission, not those destructible ones he had carried out in the name of His Divine Shadow. For the first time he was able to feel that he as an ex-assassin could be of use to anyone.

In the LightZone I have been darkness, perhaps in the DarkZone, I will be light…. perhaps it wasn´t a hollow phrase after all.

Behind him the door opened. Kai could clearly hear and notice someone enter. But he needn´t turn to see that it was Xev. He could clearly feel her presence.

"Kai?" she asked low when she detected him in front of the window. She put 790 down onto a chair, the robot was deactivated – just in case, she didn´t want to hear some insults towards Kai.

Xev was surprised to see Kai afoot so soon.

She was a bit nervous, and a bit afraid…would he be the same Kai she knew? Or had he somehow changed? The reaction the protoblood had caused shocked her to the core. It wasn´t easy for her to see the man she loved change back into the emotionless, incalculably assassin. The same one who had been so completely out of control for a short time.

Noraan now had told her that his behavior was normal, the specialist had succeed to erase the troubles the protoblood had troubled with his programming. But…what was normal in Kai´s case?

She drew nearer and stopped behind him, nervously waiting for a reaction. She looked over his untypical appearance…he wore blue hospital clothes and his dark hair fell openly down his back, a bit messy.

Finally he turned after a moment to face her. His hazel eyes examined her strained and anxious features…a bit appalled to see these worries. His first reaction was to calm her, and so he touched her cheek gently with his fingers. "Xev," he said warm. She must have been petrified with horror when awoke as the gone-crazy assassin. He was sorry for that…he hadn´t been the only one who had to go through hell and back…she wasn´t spared from many lows too. But then her expression turned to one of relief.

Xev was relieved a lot when she saw his calm features and saw nothing but warmth in his eyes. She couldn´t resist any longer and sank with a deep sob into his arms. "I was so afraid to lose you, Kai…to lose you forever!" she said. Kai smiled a bittersweet smile, but replied comforting: "No, I am here Xev, you haven´t lost me, and you´re not going to lose me so soon, darunee!"

He squeezed her gently and waited patiently until she had calmed down. Then he walked with her over to the bed and both sat down side by side. Xev took his hand and didn´t let it go for a while. It was good to feel him…to know that he was alive, the horror of the last days was truly over, even if it would take some time for her to handle that he had lain here hours ago, deep in pain and dying. She never would forget these moments, they were burnt into her soul forever.

"I´m sorry for scaring you all to death…!" Xev sighed and nodded: "Noraan told me what had happened. It was a shock to see you in this…state, and to know that I wasn´t able to do anything." "I attacked you…!" he said and his gaze dropped to the floor. Xev squeezed his hand slightly. "That wasn´t really you, nothing happened, it´s okay!" she calmed him. Kai looked back into her beautiful eyes. He sighed but said nothing. It wasn´t okay, but it happened, there was only the relief that really nothing worse happened.

"I didn´t expect that the protoblood had such a fatal effect on you. We nearly were sure that you would master to control it…but we haven´t thought about the chip with the programming and the possibility that your unconsciousness could allow it to take control," she said. "After all it is a very effective substance, no wonder His Shadow used it to control us assassins…at least until I got my memories back. My will seemed to be strong enough to resist the influence."

Kai wasn´t sure if this was normal, but he hadn´t met anyone who had been in the same situation than he was. All assassins he had worked with were so completely under His Shadows control than he had been. And if they malfunctioned - they were deactivated and destroyed. He had done this procedure a few times, although His Shadow had Divine Executioners for this task.

"And how is it now? I mean, there´s still a contact between your chip, the programming, and the protoblood, or?" "Yes, but thanks to the intelligent re-programming it´s under control now. If I ever fall asleep or unconscious a firewall protects my sleeping mind." Xev nodded, but she could see that he was despite uncomfortable. "How…how does it feel…I mean, it´s still something that´s from an insect…something that had a lot of control over you for a long time," Xev hesitated to address this topic, but she needed to be sure on the other hand that he was okay.

"The human in me doesn´t like it – and the BrunnenG I am likes it much less, Xev," he said darkly. "But I don´t think that I have another choice." He pressed his lips together and stared at the wall. "Kai…what had happened that you have changed your mind…I mean, you clearly was against it first." Xev asked him carefully. She knew that she skated on thin ice…

Kai didn´t answer for a moment. A part of him really didn´t want to talk about it, but something inside him wanted to share what had happened to him…it was a heavy burden to carry for a single person.

"I wanted to die Xev…I felt relieved that my 6000-year-existence would end. It´s something that I wanted since I got my memories back, when the stolen part of me was reunited with the undead body. But the dead cannot die…unless they get their life essence back completely. I returned to life…this had the same effect, and then suddenly there was a chance to end all this. But…," Kai looked back at her, "…not if so much is at stake." Xev looked puzzled at him. "At stake? What do you mean?"

Kai dropped his gaze and started to tell her what had happened when he fell unconscious, before he had changed his mind.

Xev watched him in disbelief and was close to not believing what she heard. She gulped and sorted out what she had learned.

His life should never be restored…but despite it happened! And now this had lead to a dilemma no one had ever imagined.

If he had died…it would have been the end for the cycle of time, the end of the life for billions and maybe the end of this universe. He had chosen to go on…to spare them this fate, to push the events back into order…the order of the cycle of time.

Xev swallowed hard…he had abandoned his biggest wish so they might had the chance to save this universe. Entirely like the prophetess´ prophecy had predicted. She should have known that she had her fingers in the pie. Nothing seemed to be coincidence. Not even Kai´s sudden re-incarnation. But she doubted that she was responsible for that…why should she? This event had endangered the cycle of time and caused all the chaos and dilemma. If this was what she wanted she hadn´t begged Kai to continue, to choose life.

"I never met someone like you in my life…," she said. "Nearly all people around me were selfish and only concerned of their own well-fare, even my parents. No one would have given up so much for another person… !" She took his other hand too. Kai shook his head: "It´s not a sacrifice Xev…you would do the same, you already have done the same, I needn´t to remind you to that. It´s nothing special. Not for me. I have too much too repay!"

He still kept his gaze down. Sure, Xev would disagree, but he didn´t want other people to see something special or a sacrifice in what he was doing. From a certain point of view it kept some selfishness in it…he knew that he was able to balance the deeds he had done in the past…he knew that he may be able to calm his conscience with it…but he feared too that it might be able to become a constant curse for him. There was too much guilt in his heart sometimes.

Xev loosened her hand from his and put it softly under his chin. She lifted his head to look into his hazel eyes. "Don´t talk like that Kai. Only a person with strong will and a clear sight for right and wrong would have chosen the way you have. And this is something special. You don´t have to repay something…you saved mine and Stans ass often enough."

Of course, it wasn´t that easy. Kai didn´t agree with her on it, but it was senseless to discuss about it. Although she knew him better than anyone else, she would never understand his motivation, nor would she exactly feel the same about this than he was. But the constant try to soothe his guilt moved him. "The dead have done this sometimes, yes," he answered with a faint smile.

Xev smiled back…yes, what would they have done without him, so many times they had been in trouble…. Suddenly Xev gulped. Trouble Stanley! Here they were sitting and talking about life and death….and someone specific from this little family was in great danger!

"Talking about saving asses…here we sit and talk, and Stan is in the sways of the Pr´karesh!" she said hurried. "We have to free him!" "Slow down Xev…I was a bit disconnected from the world outside the past two days…you told me about Stans kidnapping before I lost consciousness, but what exactly had happened?" Kai interrupted her and wanted to know. Xev nodded. "Okay…!" She told him quickly what had happened on the Lexx and what she knew about his current situation. It wasn´t much, but at least something. Kai listened to her until she finished.

"What should we do Kai? I wanted to fly after him at once…but on the other hand I couldn´t leave you on your own here!" Xev had left her place I his side and started to pace up and down. The old dilemma had found its way back into her conscious. She had a bad conscience towards Stan…cause she hadn´t followed him. Either way she had decided had been wrong…

She was desperate…if something had happened to Stan, she always would suffer from self-reproaches.

Kai watched her walking up and down for a moment, then he stood up too and walked into her way. When she turned she crashed into his slender body. Dazed she came to a halt and looked at him. Kai had put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "Calm down Xev!" He said hauntingly but quiet. He knew that she was worried about Stan, and he felt the same way. "It´s not your fault only. You stayed at my side because love is the motivation that kept you here…for this it´s my fault too. If I hadn´t been injured we could have helped him at once. But this didn´t happen. And you cannot solve two problems in two different places at once!" Xev sighed. Kai narrowed his eyes and thought about what to do. "And before we ran around without a plan, we have to talk to Shereen. She may has obtained more information in the meantime and is able to help us. And maybe I can add some information to the current situation in return." "How comes that?" she asked surprised and relaxed a bit. "Later…there´s something else I have to do before!" he said absently. Something important had come into his mind.

"I know that I refused to take my weapon some time ago, but I feel that I have to change my opinion about it. Do you keep it somewhere?" he asked her slowly. Xev looked a bit surprised at him, but she knew somehow from the beginning that this question would come someday. She bent down to her boots and extricated the brace from the inside of her right boot. "I kept it with me since the incident on the station." She held out the deadly, shining object. The shape truly reminded to some insect technology. When she freed Kai´s body of all the implants, it had been the first time that she had laid her fingers on his weapon. It was strange to know that thousands of people were killed with it. It still sent some shivers down her spine when she was reminded to that part of his past. But still without this thoughts, the weapon was fascinating…it´s surface was modeled very delicate and yet it was perfectly shaped for the purpose it had. The brace was made of some unknown material, it was hard as metal, but not as cold as metal. In fact it felt a bit like the material the Arcannea were using for their buildings…

Kai took the weapon from her hand and something inside him twitched…it was a reunion…a reunion that immediately brought up some unpleasant thoughts. But he also knew that this reunion wasn´t complete at all. Kai wrapped his fingers tight around the weapon and asked her with half closed eyes: "Can you make contact with Shereen and ask her for a meeting?" Xev watched his reaction carefully when she handed him over the brace. The dark shadow that had washed over his face was clearly visible to her. She wasn´t sure if it was the right thing to do, but she knew that he had no choice. If he was forced to fight he needed a weapon, and this was the one he was most familiar with. But despite she was worried. His mental health was under constant exposure, and she wasn´t really sure if he would stay the course.

"Kai?" she asked low and put her hand on his arm. Kai´s gaze shifted back and his eyes locked with hers. "It´s alright Xev…I have to do what I have to. I have no choice. If I refuse to do anything, Stan will die…and perhaps everything around us will too. I have to walk this path to the end…and this is an important part of it." He held the weapon a bit higher. "We should hurry, time is precious, and I know that we don´t have all too much of it." "Okay…I trust you in that, but…don´t hesitate to talk to me if something isn´t alright!" "I´ll do that Xev, promised," he answered, a little smile appeared on his face. "How…how should the brace work again?" she asked. "I have to talk to Noraan, I´m sure he has some ideas, I do have some of my own, but I´m not sure if this is works. Xev, it can take a bit time, I suggest that you go back to the Lexx, we meet there when I´m done here, alright?" "Okay," she nodded and watched him picking up his clothes from the wardrobe and walking to the door. When he passed her he gave her a quick kiss.

Xev smiled and picked up 790. "Kai?" she called after him. He stopped in the half opened door, turned to look inquiring at her. Xev smiled a bit nervously at the good-looking man. "You told me that sait va ta ray means My heart will forever be yours , but before you fell unconscious you used some different words… do na ta va . What does it mean?"

Kai looked down to the floor, when he raised his eyes again, his expression was very gentle. Xev crossed the few steps, her eyes begging for an answer. Kai put his left hand gently under her chin and drew her closer, Xev couldn´t resist and the next moment they kissed passionately.

When he had said this, it was a moment full of desperation and new hope for her. He knew that she must have been torn between all the feelings she had to go through, but in the end he hadn´t found any words for her in the standard language. Maybe it was true what other nations have told about the BrunnenG…too romantic, too philosophical. And it sounded much better to him when he used his own language…

Xev put her free arm around him, her fingers entwined into his dark open hair and she lengthened their kiss with a soft pressure on the back of his head. She really didn´t want to stop this…but Kai interrupted their kiss after some time. "I love you", he said against her lips and disengaged from her. Xev looked after him when he vanished through the door. She was a bit dizzy from the breathtaking kiss and moved a lot slower than she wanted to. She reached the door and called after him: "How many expression concerning the term love do the BrunnenG have?" Kai turned again, this time a slight grin on his face: "One of our poets once said, that you need at least 50 expressions to describe your love to someone…otherwise the language is not useful for love poems…you know how they called my people!?" He said and vanished round a corner.

"A race of romantic warriors…and romantic dreamers," she murmured. The last one wasn´t complimentary at all, but the romantic part was definitely in their blood, if Kai was a typical BrunnenG. The BrunnenG had turned from a society of warriors to a society of non-violent people. The only thing that was left over from the old BrunnenG was their poetry and their art.

They wanted a peaceful society, but in the end they had to learn bitterly that peace was a thing you sometimes have to fight for. The romantic warriors that had turned to dreamers.

She was quite sure that the newborn had known this. But they also had seen that it was senseless to alter the course. Kai had more of the old BrunnenG…also she didn´t doubt that he would rather chose a peaceful life if he could. But he was also ready to defend everything he believed in. He had shown clearly that he would. He wasn´t a violent man, all the more it was shocking to see how he was forced to kill. Xev shook her head and stopped the way her thoughts were running to. She didn´t need that now. With 790 under her arm she left the room without turning back. "790?" she asked and the robot head re-activated himself. "Yes my darling buttercup?" "Can you make contact with President Shereen, it´s very urgent!" "Of course darling…!" The robot head said happily…finally he was able to do something for his love.


	28. Intimate moments

Chapter 27

**Intimate moments**

Shereen had been able to rest for some hours…she didn´t get much sleep these days, but enough to regain some energy. Her assistant Al´a woke her up the same time Kai and Xev had talked to each other for the first time after the difficult surgery. Shereen blinked and lifted her head slowly when she felt someone shaking her shoulder gently. "Did I fall asleep?" she asked yawning. "Seemed so, Shereen." Al´a answered smiling and handed her a datapad. "The latest news, Te´rans report from the frontline." Shereen rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Another report, so soon? I thought they are just on the way to the frontline???" "This was over 12 hours ago…!" "By the prophetess…how long have I been asleep?" "Oh some hours…but you shouldn´t be worrying …you needed some rest as we all…ah, and here´s another report, from Noraan. You like me anything else to do?" "Not at the moment, Al´a, thank you." The assistant nodded and left her with a smile on her lips.

Shereen shook her head and concentrated on Te´rans report. 12 hours! By the prophetess! She activated the pad and read the news carefully. They were exciting…and very promising. Shereen allowed herself a smile. The small number of ships they had modified and commanded to the frontline turned out to be very effective and regarding to Te´ran, they were about to slow down or even to stop the advance of the Pr´karesh! Some relief washed over her face…this meant time, much more time they needed so badly to enlarge their number of modified ships…and who knows, maybe they were able to turn the table soon! The small words on the pad were holding a big new hope…

Shereen laid the pad down and took the one from Noraan.

As bad as the news had been some days ago…today it seemed to be the day of good news. It was a brief report from Noraan that everything went well with the surgery and that Kai was completely healthy again. Noraan dropped her also some encouraging private notes…nothing unusual, for he was her brother. Family business she thought. It had been pure accident that she married Te´ran, the commander of their forces…at those times he had been a Captain, so there weren´t any complications. But later it had worried her that the President of the Alliance and the Commander of their forces were related that close…Te´ran wanted to decline the offer to become their leading Admiral, but the forces wanted him, for he was a brilliant strategist and also a man with healthy ideologies. She remembered that there were only few discussions in parliament about this topic. They accepted it, but she knew that everyone would keep an eye on any irregularities…

That her brother Noraan now had come into play by leading the surgery that saved Kai´s life was also not planned. But she was glad that this important and not innocuous surgery had been done by him…it was better the way it was.

Al´a suddenly opened the door. "Excuse me Shereen…!?" Shereen turned. "Yes?" "I got a call from Xev. She asks you for a meeting on board the Lexx! She said that Kai had some important information regarding the Pr´karesh and the situation in general," Al´a advised. Shereen furrowed her brows. This was surprising, but not unwelcome. She was sure that it must be very important if they ask for a meeting with her…above all so short after Kai´s regeneration. "Tell her that I will be on board in about 5 hours!" she decided quickly. Al´a shook her head after a brief look onto her schedule. "You´ve a meeting with the President of the Freight Association at that time," she reminded the President. "I know Al´a. And if he complains…let him know that he needn´t waste any time about thinking about his position after the Pr´karesh have won this war! He should put his personal affairs back!" Shereen snorted. She really could do without this man at the moment. "This is surely far more important!" "Alright!" Al´a agreed, but she was still a bit skeptic. The President of the Freight Association wasn´t one of the kind and friendly persons…

Al´a withdrew from Shereens office and closed the door.

Shereen sighed and banned the unpopular Freight Association President out of her mind. She really had to participate in much more important meeting at the moment…

Before she reconnected to the telepathical spheres, she thought about the prophecy again…did it now may come true? She had to admit that she had have some doubts when she learned that Kai was about to die…but now…the tables had turned, he was alive, but was he really the key to their salvation? Like his people had been 15000 years ago?

Xev was relieved when 790 told her that Shereen had agreed to a meeting in 5hours on board the Lexx. Much more relief washed over her when she left the hospital and navigated the moth back to the Lexx.

Meanwhile, Kai waited patiently in Noraans workroom. He had asked for a one-on one interview with the physician after Noraans next surgery. The physician entered his office only short time later, two pots of coffee in his hands. "Sorry that you have to wait some time, but fortunately it was only a routine surgery for me…." He handed Kai one of the pots and continued: "I´m very glad that you´re afoot again, Kai! So how can I help you?" Noraan took a mouthful of coffee and sat down. Kai sipped from the hot liquid too and sat down on the opposite. He laid his weapon onto the desk. "I think I need your medical help one more time." Kai said. Noraan furrowed his brows and looked from the weapon to Kai and back. "Excuse me, but I´m not sure I understand…!" "When I was an assassin in the service of the Divine Order, I killed people with this weapon." The BrunnenG said in a calm tone, but his expression wasn´t, Noraan could see the disgust and grief in his eyes. "I suppose it´s very effective and deadly…!" Noraan put the pot down and took a closer look at the weapon. He had seen some data about it, when he studied 790´s collected information. "It was," Kai answered. Noraan looked up. He put the weapon back on the desk and leaned back, sipping his coffee. He looked at the BrunnenG in front of him. "You want me to re-attach it, right?" He asked after a short break. Kai dropped his gaze and nodded. Even he was sure that he had to do this…it felt strange to agree. Noraan sighed. He had been sure that this could happen when he studied the data. Something deep inside him told him that this new condition Kai now had, should be useful for something, and it became more than obvious to him that all would lead to this point. What was a warrior without a weapon?

Thanks to his curiosity he already knew much about the functionality of this weapon, and he had developed some ideas how to re-attach it.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Kai raised his head and looked into Noraans dark eyes. "Yes, I am!" Noraan leaned back forward and said: "Well, if that´s your wish, we can try to do that. But it will be different to the mechanism you had before. And I´m not sure if it will work at all…You are specially conditioned, but you´re now a living human being, there´s a difference!" Kai interrupted him: "I know. But I think I can help you with details. Don´t worry about that. This surgery was far more complicated than this will be!" Noraan nodded: "I thought that you would say that. Fortunately I have studied all the data regarding your old….existence, and I also have some ideas…call it gut-feeling that I knew that you would ask me to do something like that…" Kai raised his brows in surprise. "I couldn´t resist to study the data, it was more than interesting." Kai shook his head: "The biovesirs were good with…these things. Very imaginative…." Kai said low. "They were sick. I´m very delighted that the Cluster doesn´t exist any longer." Noraan said. "There were always remains…," Kai said. Noraan didn´t answer. He knew through Shereen about their true situation. With helping Kai, he was informed about everything. But he never talked about his relationship to the President…

"Alright. If you´re ready to walk down this road…I´m ready to go with you." Noraan said and rose from his seat. Kai agreed with a slight nod and followed him down to the laboratories. Noraan called two of his assistant on the way and let them know what he was about to do.

The physician opened the door to a heavy secured laboratory with a special code and a retina scan. "Come in," he welcomed Kai and they entered the lab.

Kai looked around with curiosity. It was a small lab, full with high-tech devices in all development states, analytic devices and so on. Noraans assistants were already present and handling with something. "Lay down." He showed Kai a table that wasn´t different from those in the operating rooms. "I´m sorry we have to do this in here, it´s more a research laboratory and a research operating room…but, well, you know…it was already quite difficult enough to explain the use of the operating room for your surgery by a special team to the supervisor…I´m well-known here, but I cannot do anything I like. Without Shereens intervention we would have had much more problems. And I don´t want to cause her any more stress than necessary. This room will do…Okay. I will inject a narcotic drug into your arm, it´s a special developed one, adapted to your condition, so it will narcotize your arm during this process…but I´m not sure if it is able to take all the pain away…!" "I have to adapt to it, Noraan, I have no choice. My condition allows me to take in more injuries, but the pain will be there despite…!" Noraan nodded. "It will take some time until it works, so I and my assistant will discuss this re-attachment." "I trust you." Kai answered and relaxed a bit when Noraan injected the narcotic into his arm. "Thank you, I hope I´m worth it…!" "You already saved my life," Kai said calm. "Yes…but that´s our job -

I´m a physician!" Noraan smiled and left him alone to discuss with his assistants.

Kai wasn´t sure if Noraan did it only because it was his job. He felt that there was more to it. The almost familiar tone regarding Shereen sounded a bit strange to him…but who knows which connections all those people had to each other.

Kai felt the narcotic numbing his arm slowly. He was able to identify the impact the drug had on his system…and that there was no possibility to fight it. Fortunately, he didn´t want to feel more than he should when Noraan was about to re-attach the brace to his arm.

Half an hour later he wasn´t able to move the arm any longer and Noraan returned with his assistants and a satisfied smile on his lips.

He started to explain the idea they had developed and Kai was more than surprised about their "invention". It showed their whole brilliantness when it came to research and technology. Although the idea sounded a bit strange to him first, he could see that there was indeed not only a theoretical chance to get it working.

Kai only had to add little information, mainly about some things that could cause complications they hadn´t thought of, but this wasn´t much, and after Noraan checked his numb arm again, they were ready to start.

They fixed his arm by placing it in a special device…Noraan told him that it would detach the arm from the blood circuit…and of course it would prevent heavy bleeding through the procedure.

Then Noraan started to cut through his flesh with a scalpel, from the shoulder down to the wrist. The narcotic drug and well-placed fasteners prevented that his wound healed at once. The cut gave Noraan access to his complete arm structure. With cautiousness he started to open the arm completely and bared muscles, bones and nerves. His assistant sucked off the remaining blood and preserved it in a special bag.

Kai watched the work in the beginning with some curiosity, but soon enough he looked away and bit on his lips. Noraan was right. Even the arm was narcotized…he was able to feel it. Every nerve in his body and every non-human part of him told him this. No…it wouldn´t be recommended to take more risk in receiving injuries…he should, despite his special condition, be careful.

Noraan needn´t to ask Kai if he feels any pain…he could clearly see it. He advised his assistants to hurry up with the procedure.

Noraan had adapted several functions from Kai´s old weapon system…but he didn´t want to place any apparatuses on the outside. So there was only one way to go – to use their special and highly developed bio-technology. With it he was able to integrate nearly all necessary systems

inside his arm.

First they implant a signaler into his lower arm, exactly underneath the position a bracelet with the release for the brace would be later. Then they connected the signaler with his upper arm muscles…like before, a tight and specific contraction of the muscle would send an impulse down to the signaler and would be immediately transmitted to the bracelet with the brace.

A fine strand of artificial biogenetically developed nerves will transfer the signal from his upper muscles to the signaler. This strand was connected to his muscle and attached down to the signaler and would remain inside his arm. This was what replaced the much bigger mechanism he had attached to and into his arm before.

After they had done this, they removed the fasteners and re-supported the arm with the extracted blood. Slowly the arm started to heal again. Noraans assistant removed the arm from the device and the interrupted blood circuit was reconnected again. This sped the healing process a bit more up. Kai lay perfectly still on the table, he didn´t want to move anything, he concentrated on the pain that grew stronger now. Noraan had to wait until his arm had healed and a bit worried he asked Kai: "Are you alright?" Kai made a face. "Sure…I just have a cut running down from shoulder to wrist…no problem…!" Kai opened his eyes and a sarcastic gaze hit Noraan. The physician had to grin.

Noraan put the instruments away he had used before and concentrated on the last part. The healing of Kai´s arm would take a few minutes…

He fetched the small black and silvery thing they had started to grow in a tank just half an hour before. It wasn´t a big deal for them to grow biotechnical material for special purposes…it was a daily used technology. And it had been his first intention to use this technology in this case…it was well qualified for that.

He turned the undetermined shape in his fingers carefully and examined it…no doubt, it was perfect in perfect condition.

As the last weak glowing of the healing cut vanished, Noraan asked Kai to move the arm. The narcotic drug had been completely used up during the healing process.

Kai did, he moved his fingers, his elbow and tested the reflexes. Everything seemed to be normal.

When he rubbed carefully over the skin in the middle between wrist and elbow, he could feel the implanted signaler. He was now really curious if the mechanism would work the way Noraan had suggested.

Kai put his arm back forward and one of the assistants fixed it loosely. Noraan showed Kai the bioorganic material and by squeezing a specific silvery pattern, it formed a star, on it he "activated" it and put it down on Kais wrist. At once it became somehow "alive" and it closed itself around his arm. It formed a bracelet, a thin part closed completely around his wrist and a part of it stretched from his wrist artery up to the middle between his wrist and elbow.

Kai was more than surprised and all his muscles tensed for a brief moment when he felt the cold material closing around his arm and then he felt the end of the stretched part penetrating his skin and connecting with the signaler under his skin.

The bioorganic substance on his arm formed another presence he could feel besides the protoblood…but it wasn´t a threat. He relaxed when Noraan examined the arm and signaled that everything was okay. He looked at Kai´s wrist from all sides and nodded satisfied. Loosening the fixation he let Kai also take a closer look at it.

"It seems that it must be a very special biogenetic material," Kai said. "It is, it once was developed for support with complicated broken bones, or as protecting layer for humans...because of its ability to clasp around living things…it´s very special. And it´s personalized…means that it contains a fragment of your special DNA…it´s of no use to other persons."

Kai run his finger above the black layer that also reminded him of the shape of the halter of the brace. He doubted that it was pure accident…the brace had to be fixed somewhere.

"I understand…and what about the brace and the rope? It doesn´t seem to hold much capacity for a rope…" Noraan started to grin. "That´s the most special thing why I suggested to use this material. We cannot place a rope somewhere inside your body…or on the outside…it´s much too uncomfortable or dangerous, so this solves our problem. You´ll see. But let me show you first how to disconnect the bracelet from your arm whenever you like to do that…" Noraan took his hand and turned it upside down so they both could see the pattern where he had activated the bracelet. The star-like form was right above his artery. "Just touch this pattern and it will "deactivate" itself," Noraan advised and Kai touched it. The organic bracelet returned into its unimpressive, undetermined small form. Kai at once re-attached it and at once the material closed around his wrist again and the connection between the signaler underneath his skin was again sensible with a strong prick. Kai nodded…so far so good.

Noraan handed him the brace. "How should it work?" Kai asked irritated...looking at the brace and the smooth bracelet. He didn´t see any place where to fix it.

Noraan smiled, took the brace back and put down onto the smooth, black surface. As soon as the brace came in contact with the surface, again it changed its form. It was clearly visible that the stretched form had a purpose…it formed a halter for the brace and held it tight onto his arm now.

Kai furrowed his brows…this was…"That´s amazing…," the BrunnenG said astonished.

Noraans smile broadened and said: "If you like…you can compare it with a muscle. As soon as you want to fire the brace and tense the necessary muscles…the impulse will be transferred to the signaler and from there directly to the bracelet, which will free the brace."

Kai began to realize the enormous potential of this small bracelet. Instead of mechanical devices and complicated wire-constructed machines, this material was in the position to replace it all…much smaller and nearly invisible.

"I suggest you take a try, hm?" Kai looked back at Noraan and nodded, he still had a question. "What about a rope?" "That´s the second reason I wanted to use this material. Like I said before…it would be nearly impossible to provide you with a rope…but this material is able to change a part of itself into a very stable rope…and it needs no additional place. You just have to "program" it to shoot the brace with a rope." The surprises didn´t end for Kai. "And how should I do that?" he asked. "Just squeeze the upper end, where the back of the brace is embedded into the bio-organic material, then the material knows that it should stay connected with the brace and will form a rope when the brace is fired. That´s all." Noraan explained to him. Kai was a bit skeptic, but he trusted Noraans words. The physicians put an empty bottle onto the table and invited Kai to shoot at it. "And it will return to me automatically when fired?" Kai asked before he lifted his arm. "Yes. There´s a small thing I had to change on the brace, I´ve added a "counterpart" to the bracelet, just a non-visible emitter so they can exchange data…" Kai nodded and concentrated on the bottle. He almost had to laugh about the bioscholars opinion about their so called high-technology…the Arcannea were truly advanced…like his people once had been…and would be if they were still alive.

Kai lifted his arm and aimed at the bottle. With the old knowledge he possessed, he knew what he had to do and a second later his muscle tensed and the brace flew with its familiar screeching sound towards the bottle. But it missed. With furrowed brows Kai caught the brace when it returned to him and the amazing material was as good as the halter he had had before for the brace. He knew that he never had missed anything he had aimed at. Well…he recognized that he really wasn´t a machine anymore, as precise as he may be someday again…his human side needed training…his old programming and his experience would be useless otherwise. He made a second try, this time with the rope. He squeezed the point Noraan had shown him before and put his arm forward again.

This time he striped the bottle and the brace clasped around a bar behind the table. He didn´t want the brace to do that, but it showed that this would work to if he ever wanted to use the brace in this way.

"I think I need some training to master this skill again. But I think this system would work the same way than before, if not much better. Thank you very much Noraan." "Oh, no offense, I only put some information and data into reality!" Noraan said. The BrunnenG smiled: "It was more than that. You´ve done much for us, I hope I´m able to return something soon…is there anything I can do?" Kai asked. "Just help us…maybe then this war will provide less victims…I believe into this prophecy, like Shereen does, it´s no coincidence that you and your friends arrived here at this time…it´s fate." Noraan answered suddenly. Kai was astonished to hear from the prophecy from the physician, he always thought that only few people knew about that. "You know her?" Kai asked. Noraan was about to lead him out of the laboratory. They stopped in front of the door.

"Zahra will lead you out of the hospital….yes, of course…for many years…she´s my sister," Noraan said grinning and shook hands with Kai before he left. Kai wasn´t really surprised to hear that. It fits his suspicion that Noraan must have had some connection to the president…well, he hadn´t thought about this possibility, but relationships were also a way of connectivity. "Good luck!" he said, then he vanished round the next corner.

Zahra led him up into the main greeting room of the hospital, and just before he could ask how he should get back to the Lexx, for Xev had taken the only moth down here, they met Shore´ who offered him a shuttle back there. No coincidence of course.

"Shereen asked me to fetch you up, cause she has to postpone your meeting for another three hours." "Another three hours?" Kai asked puzzled. "Sorry, you might not know that. Xev contacted her four hours ago, so normally you should meet at 4pm, in about one hour, but some problems arose, and she´s very sorry for the inconvenience." Shore´ said. Kai understood. "So she´ll come aboard at 8pm?" "Yes. May we go?" Kai agreed and followed Shore´ to the shuttle.

When they sat down, Shore´ spoke again. "We´re all very happy to see you afoot again, Kai, mainly Shereen, she sends you all the best wishes!" "Thank you," responded Kai.

"She believes deep in this prophecy, and your death would have been a true catastrophe to her and all that was told to her from the prophetess!" Shore´ said seriously.

Kai knew about this, but none of them knew what the prophetess had told him. And they should never know…it was almost unbelievable to him, it was hard to take in…and too much depended on it. He could understand Shereens worries about the situation, the Sha´ra believed deeply in anything that was told to them by the prophetess, but she didn´t know how important it really was that he was alive. The catastrophe would have been much bigger than anyone was able to guess…if the prophetess was really right about everything. But why should she make all this efforts if it had no meaning? He was nearly sure that there were more reasons why this strange prophetess was involved in this crisis, but until that day she had only revealed what she thought was important for him to know. Kai was able to feel that there was more. But he also knew that he wouldn´t get an answer until it was really necessary. He had to be patient.

"You shouldn´t make such a song and dance out of it. I´m honored that she puts so much faith in me…but I´m only a…human being that tries to help, nothing more." He answers after a short moment. "I know. She keeps it to herself, we keep it to ourselves. Of course, there are enough people who want to know what´s going on, but we avoid the truth for their own sake. The situation we´re in is far more complicated than it seemed to be. The Sha´ra believe in the prophetess and what she says, but outside Sha´ra the people believe in something different. The T´uara, the people from Arcan´s, and some from the colonies would understand her motivation, but our Alliance consists of many more planets with different cultures that would not. But I think we have been able to make the Alliance believe in the additional help we got from you. That´s the official way we are going, and that´s good." Shore´ started the machines and the shuttle lifted off into the blue sky of Arcan´s. "So, except for you and the government no one really knows where we´re from?" Kai asked a bit surprised. Shore´ had to smile: "Except for those you have met in the Presidents house and Dr Noraan and his team….no one knows that you´re BrunnenG, if it´s the answer to your question. Shereen kept this a secret. I have no doubt that sooner or later this will be known, but the point of time is much too critical. The BrunnenG were heroes, they still are, every child knew about them, and the knowledge that one of them is with us would create wrong hope, that´s what Shereen fears. We know that you´re the last one, but they won´t be convinced that easy. The time hasn´t come to tell them." Shore´ answered. "The same reason I kept my origin a secret when we first met. I had a vague clue who you are, I was also very surprised to learn that some of the old allies were still alive, but like it´s Shereens motivation to keep it a secret was mine too before." Shore´ nodded. He looked at Kai: "But it´s not an aspect of dishonor to keep it a secret Kai. After all you have told us about the downfall of your people, we have to say that you´re much different to them…you´re one of the BrunnenG our ancestors had fought with, one of those BrunnenG we still honor. You´re people were more than the last millennia's they spent isolated." Kai didn´t know what to answer. Not only Shore´ compared him to his ancestors, Xev and Stan did the same. He knew that he had been different to those older BrunnenG at his time, the other newborns too. They had tried to change something, but they had been so few…"If my friends were still alive, they would have acted the same. The young people were different, but the half dozen we had been…we had no chance to change anything at all." Kai said finally. "Are you sure?" Shore´ asked back. Kai furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?" "That you haven´t changed anything?" "Not much I think. We only choose the opportunity to die fighting. It is something we owed our ancestors I think. I cannot stand the thought to sit around and wait for the inevitable. That´s nothing our ancestors would have done…" "So you have changed something. Even if you only were half a dozen…the resistance you showed may had inspired the opportunity against His Shadow. A successful resistance or not, but I think it may had inspired other people. The way you choose to live your life is important, but it´s sometimes, at certain occasions, important how you choose to die. Every warrior in history prefers an honorable death…fighting, saving his people. That´s what you´ve done, and I doubt that it hadn´t changed anything. The Arcannean philosophy is similar. Every Arcannean warrior would give his life to safe his people…we cannot forget what happened to our universe 15 000 years ago…and fortunately we kept this spirit alive." Shore´ explained.

Kai nodded slowly. He remembered that the heretics who had fought against His Shadow ever since, knew about the prophecy, knew about the way they had died. As a mindless assassin the words he had heard on some occasions, hadn´t meant anything to him, but this doesn´t mean he didn´t remember them.

Kai looked out the window, they were passing the tail section of the Lexx and after a short moment Shore´ entered the Lexx. "A warriors life is less worth than a true warriors death," Kai quoted. Shore´ landed the shuttle as they arrived in the moth chamber. "Partially true, but I believe that it couldn´t be the aim of a warrior to seek only death." Kai put his attention back at Shore´: "If they have a choice…they will try to survive."

Shore´ looked into Kai´s green eyes for a moment. They were dark with unpleasant memories…, dark with something only he knew? After all that had happened, he hoped that this time they would all find their salvation in the end. "Whatever outcome we have to expect…I hope that we can avoid much more unnecessary victims. Too many people have died and on this part, neither the Pr´karesh nor we are going to win anything. Whatever you and Shereen are going to talk about…the hope of those entire people lie upon you. Shereen carries a huge responsibility, it´s the event she will be measured by…and," Shore´ paused a moment, "I cannot imagine anyone better than you and your friends helping her. Whatever happens, take care of her. She´s like a daughter to me. A child I was denied to have." "I´ll do that," Kai promised, a bit moved by the old man´s plea. Shore´ smiled: "Thank you…and now you´d better go, Xev´s already waiting for you I think." Kai nodded and left the shuttle. Shore´ waved goodbye and then the shuttle lifted off again, it flew fast back the way they had come and Kai turned when it went out of sight.

Kai took one of the moths and flew right to the bridge. He didn´t know where Xev was at the moment, so he wanted to look at the bridge first.

When he entered, only 790 was there, lying at the bottom right in front of the command pedestal. Without Stan it looked somewhat empty and lonely. Kai pressed his lips together in determination. They had to change that, very very soon!

"790? Where´s Xev?" he asked the robot head. "Needn´t know that!" talked 790 back. Kai sighed. He knew how to convince 790 to tell him what he wanted to know, but he wasn´t keen on arguing. "Thank you 790!" Kai turned and left the bridge. His way led him unintentionally directly to her chamber.

He paused shortly at the entrance when he saw her lying on the bed. She was dozing a bit. Kai entered the room and sat down on the bedside carefully. He watched her a while, then he put some strands of hair out of her lovingly face. By placing a soft kiss on her temple he woke her. Xev yawned and opened her eyes. "Did I fall asleep?" she asked. "Seems so," Kai answered, looking at her. "Oh shit…how long?" Her eyes grew bigger when she remembered the meeting with Shereen. Kai calmed her down. "We have plenty of time. She had to postpone the meeting, she´s coming at 8pm, in about four hours." Xev sat up and breathed out in relief. "Well, that´s good. Maybe the last four hours for some time?" She asked. "Probably…" the BrunnenG answered. Xev touched his face gently, her fingers caressed his tattooed cheek. "How was your visit with Noraan?" she asked. "Very interesting and successful," Kai replied. He put her hand softly down. "Does it work?" she wanted to know. Kai nodded and lifted his right arm. He pointed at the sheets stretched between the bed and the ceiling. The familiar screeching was hearable and then she saw the cut in one of the sheets. The brace returned to his arm and Kai laid his hands on it for a moment. He needn´t shove it back, but it was an old habit. The organic material had already put it back save in place. Xev touched his arm before he withdrew it and asked: "Does it hurt?" Kai shook his head. Xev looked into his eyes. She wanted to know more about the re-attachment of the weapon. Without further questioning she bent forward and her hand reached for the zipper to open the jacket. Kai closed his eyes when she freed him from this piece of cloth. He couldn´t resist, he had to close his eyes…her movement, her touch, intentionally or not, set something inside him on fire. He could feel her hand touching his skin, first his back, then his arm. It was different to before. It was…more intense if he allowed it to be more intense. It seemed as if his body was much more sensitive to everything that was going on around. Xev didn´t recognize what was going on with him, she kept her interest down on his arm and the change it went through. Besides the organic bracelet on his arm, where the brace was attached to, she couldn´t see any evidence of the weapon. Carefully she stroke over his arm and the strange material. "It´s completely different," she stated. "It is," Kai answered, opening his eyes again. His left hand touched the bracelet and he pushed the pattern on the lower side to take it off. Xev was surprised. She examined the material, that stayed in its shape, because the brace was still inside it, then she took a look at Kai´s wrist, which was unharmed and showed no sign of any mechanism. "How does it work?" she asked curiously. Kai took the weapon back and dropped it next to the bed. He explained what he knew about it, and pointed out that he still has much to learn about it, but as well as Noraan he was optimistic that the purpose it was made for would be satisfactory fulfilled, maybe even better than before. "I was surprised when you decided to get this weapon back," Xev said. Kai looked at her: "Since the day I was made into an assassin it was a part of me, like the program…now I am closer to the undead assassin again, in fact, one half of me can change into this part if necessary, and what´s an assassin or a warrior without a weapon? It´s strange for me to realize how much I have in common with the dead assassin I have been, but it´s also a relief to know that the other part is so different. I have to get accustomed to the fact that I will never lead a normal life…" Xev touched his shoulder gently. "I know what you mean," she said low. "Maybe it´s not so much different to how I feel about my clusterlizard half…I´m human, but not completely. Something we have in common now I fear." Kai took her hand. "It´s not the only thing we have in common, Xev. As strange and different our lives had been, we do feel the same way…that´s much more important to me." Xev reduced the distance between them. "We´re a strange couple," she stated. "A clusterlizard-loveslave, grown up in a box and a 6000 year old BrunnenG in his third different state of existence. If it isn´t true…I would call everyone a jerk who tells me such a story." "And I understand Stanley´s commentary that he is the only sane human being aboard the Lexx," Kai added dryly. Xev laughed, but it faded away quickly. "I miss him…!" she said. "We´ll get him out, I promise," he replied. "I know…," she inched closer towards him. When she looked up, their faces nearly made contact. "But we still have some time until we have to get in action, don´t we?" she asked playfully. Her gaze shifted over his face, over the rolling brows, his expressive, mysterious eyes, the exclusive nose. Her gaze shifted along the soft contours of his cheekbones down to his absolutely kissable lips. "Potentially….we do, yes…!" he replied softly. "Then let us waste no time," she whispered and leaned forward to cross the small gap that separate her from his lips.

When their lips made contact, Kai closed his eyes and handed himself over to her erotically attractiveness…he knew that there wasn´t an antidote. After all that happened, he still felt the mental exhaustion, but a part of him was also crying for this emotional and physical contact with her. They fought a small tongue duel and he heard a soft sigh escaping her lips.

He opened his eyes again to look into her beautiful face. Xev withdrew from his lips the same moment and both looked deeply into each other's eyes. Xev´s gaze was a mixture of sexual hunger, deepest love and devotion. The emotional rollercoaster she had gone through during the last days left no bigger wish inside her to be as close to Kai as she could…she nearly had lost him, something she never wanted to go through again. He was alive, he still was himself, and that was what she wanted to feel right now. It was somehow again a new start for them…

She softly caressed his face, her eyes begging for more than a kiss…

Kai didn´t need a request to start with the foreplay…his hand already found the zipper on the backside of her top. Without any haste he removed it and let it fall down beneath the bed. He put his hand softly onto her shoulder and pushed her gently back onto the bed again. He turned towards her and climbed next to her onto the bed. Xev closed her eyes when she felt how Kai started to explore her body. Without resistance she let him do that…it was an amazing feeling to be at his mercy…fortunately only to the lover he was…not the assassin.

She felt how he caressed her skin, how he freed her from the skirt and the underwear. Her skin burnt and prickled everywhere where his experienced fingers had touched her.

Xev´s fingers closed around the sheets on her bed in ecstasy. It felt so good…

Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she drew in a sharp breath…a warm electrifying sensation shot through her body she hadn´t expected…she looked at him and groaned low…no need for any further explanation when she felt his fingers exploring her wet hot depths. She sunk back, completely overwhelmed how he elicited such sensations inside her. He knew so well which buttons to push…

"Kai…" she moaned softly. She couldn´t close her eyes, her gaze locked onto his figure, how he kneeled right next to her and how his body moved when he stroke and caressed her. Xev pushed her hips a bit upward and sighed. What was he about to do?

One of his hands stroke over her belly, over her breasts, whilst the other remained down beneath her crotch. When he noticed that she was watching him nearly breathless, his lips curved into a smile that drove her crazy. It was this kind of smile that always took her breath away. It acted to innocent and yet…so unbelievable mysterious and knowing. Another jolt shot through her body and this time she couldn´t help but groaning louder than before. She felt her libido increasing times two and her temperature rising. Whatever he was doing with her…she felt how she was about to lose control over her body. All her sexual senses were activated and she felt herself reduced to this ancient level of natural feelings only.

Everything else faded out her mind…the world around her fell apart, the only thing she was able to think was the motivation to get this pleasurable and painful throbbing between her legs released, silenced. She couldn´t release herself…she wasn´t in the position to. She really felt that only Kai was able to do that…and he didn´t seem to do that.

Xev groaned and her breathing got wilder the minute he was continuing this amorous play with her. He felt her temperature rising, the level of her arousal increasing, he knew very well what he was doing. It wasn´t the first time he had done this to a woman, but the love slave side of Xev put a different thing into this whole foreplay…her increased libido acted much fiercer than anything he knew. Kai opened his mouth slightly and sighed when he saw her naked body tensing with arousal, how her hands sunk into her sheets and cramping around them. It doesn´t stay unaffected onto him. Kai bent down onto her belly and kissed the small tattoo, his tongue softly circuited her navel. Xev was close to the point to orgasm, but as long as he didn´t let go, she wouldn´t…as said…Kai knew what he was doing.

He looked up into her face and smiled at her. "Please…Kai…I cannot stand it…please," she started to beg. It wasn´t easier for her to look into his beautiful face, watching his muscular body so close to her…He withdrew his finger inside her a bit…but not as much so the release was granted to her. Xev´s body trembled in ecstasy when she felt it…her hips pressed hard onto the bed, her breath came in short hard blows. Kai had brought her to a complete new point of sexual ecstasy…she never thought that such a pleasurable experience could be so long-lasting and painful the same time. She loved this feeling…but she wanted her need to orgasm be freed…but he didn´t let her…"Pl—ease…Kai…I—I….!" She moaned and begged for the sweet release…

Kai knew that it was about time to let go…he bent down onto her and at the same time he withdrew his finger from the point between her legs he kissed her softly.

Xev reacted only a few moments later…the release was the sweetest kind of ecstasy she had ever felt. The orgasm rushed through her like a bolt and she felt her body arching and trembling underneath him. She grabbed his shoulders with all her clusterlizard strength, a strength that would have hurt every normal human being, and screamed in lust.

Kai watched her with a soft smile on his lips…for a moment he closed his eyes to push down his own arousal…it was more than thrilling to watch her.

Xev felt herself getting calmer and calmer the minute, and then it was over. Still a bit out of breath she managed to open her eyes again. Kai still knelt at her side, his body partially over hers. Xev let go of his shoulders and her eyes widened a bit when she felt some blood on her fingertips. "I´m….sorry," she said a bit shocked. But the BrunnenG only smiled an okay.

"This was…," Xev tried to say what she had experienced, but she couldn´t. "I think I start to understand those stories about the BrunnenG…," she said instead. Kai raised his brows as if to say: Really? . "Kai…," she sighed, this man could really drove her mad. She lifted her hand and touched his face. "Thank you…," "You´re welcome," he said, his voice a bit hoarse. Xev hesitated a second than she propped herself up so she could be face to face with him. She sensed immediately that Kai was aroused with what he had done to her…he looked at her with half lidded eyes, not moving an inch.

No question that it was about her to repay him the pleasure he had given to her. She bent forward to kiss his slightly trembling lips. The intensity of the returned kiss proved what she guessed. She touched his body and let her fingers wander over his bare chest. She felt his muscles tensing beneath her touch and when they parted again his eyes were closed, his expression more than a clear sign of arousal. Xev lifted her hands up to his hair and started to free it. She wanted to see him in the sexiest way she had ever experienced him. On dark strand of his hair fell down after the other until his long hair was completely free. Kai lifted his head until his face pointed to the ceiling. Xev smiled, more than pleased with the sight of his appearance. When the hair was down, it revealed his true beauty and she couldn´t help but thanking destiny over and over again that he was alive. She started to caress him and pushed him gently down onto the bed. In a fluent move she opened his trousers and undressed him. Like her before he enjoyed it to be touched and he lay there motionless with half closed eyes.

With the directness of the love slave, she laid her fingers softly around his shaft and stroked it gently. She had been right, he was more than aroused and he was visibly excited about what she did. Xev started to massage it in her experienced manner and watched his reaction carefully. Slowly she increased his arousal and when she bent down to take his rigid member into her mouth, she heard him moan softly. Xev smiled and worked on, never taking her gaze off him. Kai´s fingers clasped around the cloth beneath him and his hip slightly pushed up. It didn´t took her much time to bring him to the edge of his orgasm. She knew that she couldn´t lengthen this pleasurable moment for him as long as he did it to her, but with all her knowledge she did her best.

Kai moaned again when he felt her lips massaging his member, how her finger stimulated him additionally and he felt his orgasm already coming. His breathing increased and he lifted his head to look at what she was doing… Her fingers stroke over his firm muscles on the inside of his thighs and his whole body tensed in anticipation of his climax. He felt his member stiffening very hard and with the first wave of his orgasm he sank back and groaned. "Xev…," he whispered and then he came.

Xev waited patiently until his orgasm ebbed away, then she let go of him. Without any word she laid down close next to him, pressed her body close to his. Softly she stroke over his chest and watched him calming down. It was overwhelming to watch him this way and she smiled…she couldn´t ignore that there was new longing growing inside her.

Kai opened his eyes when he felt her lips onto his. "Thank you," he whispered and stroke softly over her cheek. "Only the adequate revenge," she purred. She laid one of her legs over his, her hips pressed softly against his. Kai wasn´t surprised that she was still aroused…or was she again aroused? The warmth her body was radiating spoke a language of its own. Her libido could be insatiably if she admitted it. What about him? He needn´t think about it for long. As strong as his new constitution was, as strong was his recovery in such things too. He felt his cock harden again with desire when she nestled into his arms. It neither astonished nor amazed him...it was just the way it would be from now on...

He started to caress Xev´s body anew and Xev returned his gestures until both of them were full of passion and desire again. Their bodies burnt again full of love and Xev put her legs around Kais waist. "Let me feel you, Kai...!" she whispered and pulled him softly down onto her hips. The BrunnenG didn´t resist and he let his rigid member penetrate her sweet hot depths.

Xev closed her eyes for a moment when she felt him entering...it was something that increased her arousal additionally. With slow, nearly lazy thrusts, he started to penetrate her. Xev sighed and moaned low. This unity was more than one of physical satisfaction, much more. And she denied herself to miss any second of it.

Kai kissed her breasts and stimulated her by stroking them gently or hard. Xev pushed her hips upward everytime he came down onto her and slowly their movements got more and more passionate, wilder...until they were barely under control. She couldn´t stop the orgasm that swapped over her only seconds later...nor could Kai. They both climaxed the same time and Kai stopped moving, he carefully stayed on top of her and listened to her breathing. Xev started to laugh happily and sighed...no there wasn´t anything that was comparable with making love to this man...nothing. No time was like the last…but every time they reached the point of sexual ecstasy their relationship deepened somehow. It grew more and more intense and she already started to feel more than the physical satisfaction. She knew that there was something beyond they both hadn´t reached yet…

Xev sighed and thought that she could forever lie here...with him inside her, so deep, so hard and firm.

Her eyes snapped open when she felt him harden inside her...and again he started to move in and out with slow thrusts. "Your new physiology is...amazing...!" she gasped. She hadn´t expected that their erotically journey was about to continue...where would this exhausting play lead them? Kai stopped his movement to look into her angelic face...although it was as new to him, he didn´t question his hunger...something deep inside him was still burning with desire...he wasn´t able to quench his thirst for more...

"Xev...!" he whispered in despair...he needed her so badly. His expression showed the passion that came from somewhere deep inside, in his eyes she could see the hunger for more. Every muscle of his wirily body was tensed to its limit, it showed her clearly how strong his desire was. Every movement expressed it. It seemed as if Kai´s living body remembered what had been absent for 6000 years...and now the demand was so strong that it sometimes nearly went beyond his control.

She couldn´t deny him this release...she knew exactly how important it was to him. Without any further words she rolled them over, so she was on top now. After all those lonesome years without sex, she was more than eager to learn and explore this new world, and the aspect of more than one or two times in series was something she hadn´t thought possible before. The love slave she was, was able to do it, but before no man could match her in this.

Even if it was partially the love slave programming that made her body start to burn of lust again, she knew that her longing for Kai played the biggest part in it. She couldn´t resist him.

There wasn´t any haste in her movements when she started to ride him, but despite she felt sweat running down her spine, body and legs. It was exhausting…not only for her.

When she touched Kais body, her hands slid softly over his wet skin. She bent down to kiss him and with breathtaking passion the BrunnenG responded to her. He caressed her breasts in his experienced manner and turned her on. Xev didn´t accelerate her hip movement much, instead her clit slid slowly up and down on him, Kai felt her strong inner walls massaging his shaft merciless and a groan escaped his lips. He trembled beneath her and electrifying shivers ran up and down his body. Xev smiled a little when she saw that her procedure had an immediate and wanted impact onto him. She continued the play and rode him painfully slow but very strong.

Kai reached for her hands and Xev pinned his arms onto the bed, their fingers intertwined.

She bent her head down and their lips locked again. Their tongues met and Xev felt his short gasps, he was much more aroused than the last two times…she noticed. When they parted she shifted her weight a bit to give him deeper access…and was rewarded with a loud moan. His breath increased and she could clearly hear him groaning and gasping. "Xev….!" He closed his eyes to concentrate on what was going on inside him…slowly he felt more and more detached from the world around them and all his senses concentrated on this amazing world of physical love. He felt his body rearing up beneath her and somehow his hands freed from her grip and he found her butt. He grabbed her hips and held her firm. His hips pushed stronger upward now…he needed her so much, he wanted to get his member as deep inside as possible. Xev moaned when she felt him thrusting into her so intensely and she felt her clit welcoming his throbbing hard shaft. She was aware that both were directed to a new climax – one that would easily outshine those before…this time it was so intense, so passionate…

Xev felt the world around her falling apart when the first sign of the climax came…she felt him thrusting into her firmly and longing…She bit onto her lips to swallow a scream of lust…with no success. Kai strengthened his grip when he felt his own climax coming…he held her close when he thrusted into her for a last time, he deepened and lengthened their connection unbelievingly.

Xev felt him coming inside her in hot waves, over and over again…from far away she was able to hear him scream her name when the climax reached its absolute most intensive moment.

Xev gasped and felt her own orgasm coming at the same time…it swept over her like a hurricane…and she felt again this wonderful sensation that seemed to come from another part of her but not her body…

Xev collapsed onto him and even if he was exhausted, he caught her softly and held her tightly in his arms. Xev felt her hand searching for his chest and opened her eyes. She lay next to him…heavily gasping from this exhausting moment…but not only she was worn out. Kai´s whole body trembled in exhaustion and he had closed his eyes to regain some control. The blood was roaring in his ears and he tried to calm his breath down. Xev pressed her body firm next to his and wrapped her arms around him, returning the embrace he was holding her in.…none of them was able to speak or to move…they couldn´t even fight the sleep that was overwhelming them…

790 was bored. Composing love poems was nice…but if there was no one around who appreciated his art…it was boring. Well, he had something else to do…since the last contact with President Shereen he had to encrypt some data and give them to Xev and Kai…but he had been a bit angry that this message came in the middle of his composing…so he delayed this important thing a bit. Now in his boredom he remembered about this and his bad conscience let him work on that decryption faster as usual. He had failed to inform Xev…his beloved angel Xev…oh-oh…no good news. He deeply hoped that she wasn´t all too angry about the delay.

"Xevvvvvvvvvv…!" he finally cried loudly through the ship, cause he wasn´t able to contact his cart.

"Xev…!" Did someone call her? She turned around sleepily…no, why shouldn´t someone call her. Besides…even if…she didn´t want to wake up now…she was dreaming so nice. "Xev…!" This time it was much closer and then something touched her arm. Xev sighed and opened her eyes. "Not now…," she grumbled. "It sounds urgent," a voice next to her said. Xev turned her head and looked into Kai´s handsome face. He had propped himself onto his arm and smiled a little. "Xevvvvvvvvvvvv….!" Now she also detected 790´s voice ringing through the corridors. "What does he want?" she asked. "I don´t know…," Xev sat up straight: "I hope we haven´t overslept…," came it into her mind. Kai shook his head: "No, we were only asleep for about half an hour." "Really?" Xev furrowed her brows. "It felt like an eternity…" Kai only smiled slightly and threw a mischievous gaze at her. Xev sighed. She wasn´t in the mood to go to the bridge only to hear the newest wailing of 790…on the other hand: "Maybe it´s indeed important. I should go to him, what do you think?" Xev looked inquiring at Kai for a moment. But he only returned her inquiring gaze. Xev robbed out of the bed and let the blanket fall aside. But she didn´t get far.

Suddenly she felt Kai´s fingers around her wrist and being pulled back onto the bed.

"I think you´re right…790 can wait a few minutes longer…," she heard him whisper into her ear.

Xev leaned back and looked into his face. He didn´t mask his intention.

The urge to feel her close to him one more time was overwhelming, he couldn´t think about anything else at the moment. Everytime they were united that way the deep darkness in his soul was diminished by the brightness her soul provided. The light of her soul was enough for both at those moments, and everytime they departed a little less darkness stayed within him. Maybe it was right what was said: true love could heal even the deepest wounds.

Xev didn´t say a word when he shoved her gently onto the bed and lay onto her. She could see what was going on…his eyes gave him away. She could see the hunger, the need, and the love he wanted to share with her. She sank deeper into the folds of her sheets and let it happen. She even could feel the strong bond that had developed over time between them. First beyond any emotions, purely platonically, now finally so very intense on the emotional level. It was amazing.

How must he feel when their bodies were united? Would the moment they shared provide him with the peace he craved for? She was sure about it, she could see it in his eyes.

Their perfectly fitting physiology may allow them to experience this more often now…and she was more than willing to share this with him…any way that helped him to heal the wounds that had his past burnt into his soul.

When their bodies united anew, she could see the fire glowing in his eyes…and it was no amazement for her that the sensations coming with it reached a new level of intensity.

Their bodies acted on their own…finding unerringly what heated them up…until a new climax rushed through them…let them forget everything around again. Only that this time Xev was pushed further beyond the physical level…in the moment she felt him cum inside her and herself climaxing the time seemed to stop for a minute. There was this moment when a silence arouse everywhere and suddenly she felt his presence close to her…she was astonished that the mental bond between them provided such a possibility…could this be the perfect moment she had heard of so many times? Maybe it was…then the moment was over and everything returned into its normal state and she felt the normal world around her again.

She felt Kai´s weight on her until he rolled from her, then his arms wrapped around her. It was a firm embrace…as if he was afraid to lose her. "I love you Xev…," she heard him moan low.

She opened her eyes…still a bit dizzy from this moment and replied: "I love you too Kai….." She pressed her face into his side and breathed in slowly…this strange moment still in her mind.

She felt happy and sad at the same time. This experience was euphoric…and it proved that they really belonged together…sad because something became clear to her when she had felt his presence… Although she had felt this strong charisma and his nearly ancient wisdom, there was this melancholy that first of all made clear that it was indeed Kai´s soul. They had talked to each other a lot, she knew that going on was something he hadn´t wanted…but he decided to go on.

Even she felt a lot for him, she couldn´t imagine it all…now, for the first time she had the glimpse of what it must mean to him…what he had shouldered.

"Thank you…," she whispered. "What for?" he asked. "For many things…." She replied and lifted her head. "For many things…," Kai looked down onto her and watched her thoughtfully. Xev raised her hand and traced the line of his tattoo with her finger. Kai turned slightly when she reached the end of the line and kissed her fingertip. The strange expression on her face explained what she was thinking about. "You don´t have to. It´s what has to happen…it´s the only way everything can be solved. I would call it unfair…yes, but I learned that I´m not alone…not anymore," he said gently. "No, you´re not…," she smiled. After a brief moment he pursed his lips and let go of her. "I think you shouldn´t let 790 wait too long." Xev giggled: "Maybe I should tell him that a certain BrunnenG was in desperate need of me and I couldn´t escape him." Kai dropped his gaze shyly. Xev kissed his cheek softly: "It´s okay Kai. It was outstanding and amazing…and I know how important it was for you. Love and time will heal all wounds someday…and I´m happy to do anything I can." Kai raised his gaze and nodded: "I know Xev… thank you." She smiled and kissed him gently. "You´re welcome," she replied. Then they parted and Xev got up. Whatever it was that 790 wanted to tell her, it was about time to listen to it.

Kai put his uniform back on, secured the weapon on his arm and put his hair back in its traditional order. For the first time in this new life he was completely dressed as the assassin again. But he now was more than that. She detected the assassin he had been but much more she saw the BrunnenG warrior in his attitude. Significant changes , she thought. She put her boots on and was ready to leave the chamber. Kai held her back a last time before they left. "I love you Xev," he said, looking deeply into her eyes. Whatever would come, he wanted her to know it. Xev returned his gaze and smiled: "I love you too." Side to side they left the chamber and walked to the bridge where a wailing 790 awaited them.


	29. Council of War

Chapter 28

**Council of war**

"She didn´t hear me, ohoo, my dearest, my loveliest, one and only darling Xev…ohoooo," 790 wailed. His cant escorted them until they reached the bridge.

"I´m here 790, what´s up?" Xev stopped at his side and patted his case. "Oh…oh, my Xev…finally!" He rolled his digital eyes and his lips curled as if to kiss her. "Kiss me, my luscious dish….," he purred. Xev sighed and gave him a quick kiss onto his digital eye. "Oh….I´m in robot heaven…!" "What´s so urgent, 790? You cried as if it´s a matter of life and death," she asked him impatiently. "Promise me something first," demanded 790. "What?" "Don´t be angry," he said ashamed. "Why should I?" "I have forgotten to tell you something that I should have told you hours before…," 790 explained crestfallen. Xev furrowed her brows and threw a side-gaze at Kai, who waited patiently in the background. "Oh, and why do you delay it?" "I have been too busy about a new poem about you, buttercup." "Oh 790! The next time you tell me in time, so what´s about the things you should have told me hours ago?" "You are not angry?" 790 asked. "No, I´m not, as long as you tell me NOW what you have to say…," "Oh joy…at once my darling, oh she´s not angry, oh joy!" 790´s eyes lightened up and he put the data onto Lexx´s huge screen, at least something he was able to control. "The President has sent this data and mentioned that it may very interesting to you," he said and activated the record.

Shereen appeared on the screen.

"Xev, Kai. I received the following report from our coroner who was working on the autopsy of the assassins who attacked you on the station. You should take a look at it. It might not be uninteresting!" Then the screen went dark for a moment and then they also witnessed the coroners report about the discovery of the insect-DNA within the human-DNA of those terrorists.

They were not less surprised than the President before. The message ended with Shereens words: "We are going to talk about it as soon as I get aboard." The screen got dark and 790 stopped the transmission.

"That´s…awful," Xev said and looked a bit shocked at Kai. The BrunnenG had slowly walked next to her when they watched the report. Now he was deep in thoughts about what he had learned here. He couldn´t say if it shocked him…but some puzzle pieces were put together suddenly. He slowly understood some connections concerning those things that happened. Kai´s expression turned into a mask and he stared gloomily onto the dark screen.

"Kai?" Xev asked into the silence. She frowned a bit when she saw his expression turning. "You know more than you already told me, do you?" Kai turned towards her and his lips went small. "There are certain things that got clear to me now…and if I am truly right…the danger we´re in is much bigger than anyone expected." Xev looked confused at him, she had no idea what he was talking about. "You mean because of the insect-DNA? But don´t you also have some through the protoblood?" Xev wanted to know. Kai´s lips twitched. "I do. But it seems that I am not the only one…and that the Arcannea aren´t the only ones in this universe who are able to use insect-technology in different ways, including changing human biology." Kai was very concerned and he knew very well that the decision to alternate his body dependent only on a few reasons, important reasons for the President and at last, for him too.

"Kai, they´re Pr´karesh, and admitted, they use insect technology on their weapons and ships, but this doesn´t mean that they´re advanced enough to change human biology." "They are not, that´s right, but what if someone among them has the knowledge and is slowly developing this. Someone who brought them the technology," he answered. "You mentioned it when we met with Shereen on Sha´ra, do you think that it´s true that besides us someone escaped from the Cluster?" she asked.

Kai looked into her eyes: "I don´t think that someone escaped from the Cluster," he said, "I _know _it." Xev held her breath. "What?" Kai hesitated. He wanted to wait until Shereen was here, he didn´t like to repeat things twice, but on the other hand…Xev had often enough shown her ability to put a different view on things, things that may had so far eluded him.

"You remember the name Taleron?" Xev thought about it. "Yes, didn´t someone of the terrorists on the station call it?" "Exactly. It sounded very familiar to me, and when I woke up here, I remembered why. Taleron was His Shadows last leading weapon and ship biovesir." Xev looked in surprise at him. "How…how should that be possible? How should he have survived the Cleansing? The Destruction of the LightZone…," "4000 years…," 790 added precociously. Kai looked at both. "The same way we did. Taleron escaped into the DarkZone 50 years before the Cleansing took place and therefore way before the Cluster fell completely, way before Mantrid destroyed the LightZone." Kai´s corners of the mouth twitched disdainfully and he looked back at the dark screen and continued. Xev sat down on the bottom of the pedestal…this she had to stomach first!

"Like Mantrid before, Taleron got a risk for his Shadow sometime. He knew many things, and he did experiments that were dangerous for His Shadows reign. And I wouldn´t count out that this had been the base for the things Shereens forensics had discovered here. Research on human-insect biology was something that didn´t only made humans angry, His Shadow too. He feared such a development, and he didn´t want to see the insect-DNA contaminated with human DNA. He wanted to destroy humanity…every tiniest fragment of it. Taleron was about to go a new direction…a development that he brought over here, into the DarkZone when he had to flee from the Cluster." "But wouldn´t such a development, if he started it such a long time ago, not already gotten to a high standard?" Xev asked, her mind whirling with thousands of questions. "Not if he spent only the past 20 somewhat years on it. That's the time Shereen mentioned when the war started. The terrorists on the station weren´t much stronger than a strong human being. Somehow we both were able to handle them…without their weapons we may had been successful without so much…trouble," he explained. "But what for an advantage would they have then? I mean…if this Taleron is such a brilliant biovesir, he should have known that such a mission could go wrong." "I´m almost sure that these assassins were maybe only an older type of his hybrids . It was a suicide mission. He won´t waste his best material on such a mission. The success he expected from it wasn´t a major thing. It had weakened the Arcannean supply, but hadn´t defeated them. The one that was able to escape, Sa´k, is much more a threat. He´s different to those. I felt it when I met him in Lexx´s cortical chamber. He´s probably one of Talerons better versions…" he mused. "So he may haven´t had enough time to develop undefeatable hybrids ?" Xev asked. "Not enough, I think. He may haven´t found a way to change humans into hybrids like they had changed you on the Cluster into a loveslave. You have witnessed that it´s very complicate to change a humans biology…to add insect-DNA." Kai looked back into her beautiful face, saw her wincing when he directed her thoughts back to the recent surgery on him. "Yes," she replied low. "But besides all the guessing about this insect-matter. Why are you so sure that it is Taleron who may have gotten here?" Kai didn´t respond for a moment, a dark glittering arose in his eyes, then he replied: "His Divine Shadow had sent one of his assassins to eliminate him…." "You!" she said sighing after a moment. Kai nodded. "The most dangerous and effective assassin had been just good enough to hunt him down. That is what His Shadow came up with…." "But he was wrong," Xev said, otherwise Taleron wouldn´t be here. A second later another thing came into her mind. "But this means that…," she couldn´t believe it. This meant that Kai had failed to stop him. She shook her head and Kai looked aside, somehow embarrassed. He told her in short words the story. "He´s a very wily man…he finally escaped through the fractal core." Kai ended and sighed, he had killed so many innocent people, would have had some of them escaped, he would at least feel some relief, but no…of all things this cruel and conscienceless individual Taleron was able to escape his deadly hands. It clearly showed how dangerous he was. Xev understood Kai´s concerns fully now. If neither a divine assassin could stop him…who could? "Oh no," she said.

Kai nodded. "The weapon system of the Lexx is a part of his development, although Brizon worked out the design. I think that´s the reason he know much about the Lexx, and of course, when we arrived here, he recognized it…I think he knew very well about Stan´s position…that´s the reason he gave order to kidnap him. The Lexx is useless for us, and useless for him until he discovers how to extract the key from Stanley or until he find a way to manipulate Stan…." "These are horrible thoughts!" Xev interrupted. "I know," he said gloomy. "Kai…can you stop him…they, if we find a way to get to Stan?" "I do not know. I have also more strength and much more abilities than other normal human beings, and it seemed that there indeed was a reason why I have to go through all this…. change. It doesn´t help me feeling better about the fact that I also contain insect-DNA, but maybe I should see it the way my ancestors does. They used the technology of their enemies to defeat them. Maybe we have to think the same way. And who knows…maybe the prophetess´ prophecy is right about that it has to be me who should stop Taleron, because I´m the one who has the possibility to fight other altered humans." Kai sighed. Again he should be the one who would stop a threat…but unlike the last time he already was altered and much better capable to give and take injuries. What of course doesn´t mean that they succeed. Even the prophetess wasn´t sure about the outcome. The time cycle was damaged and everything they could do was to take the tiny chance he had opened with his decision to go on, to prevent the fall of the DarkZone.

All efforts lead to it. Xev touched his arm gently. "I know that you can. But what if Taleron has more of those modified humans? At the moment they are fighting battles in space, but what if they come here and invade the heart of the Alliance?" "We have to stop them before that happens. Currently it seems that Taleron only orders some kind of assassins, those who are already altered…," "…and what made me think of His Shadows kind to rule," Xev interrupted. "Yes, there´s only a limited way to control an Empire. He may does it with troops of modified humans and with the aspect of human hunger for power. Pr´karesh had been a small member of the Alliance, nearly unnoticed from the centre. I bet that someday some people decided to act on their own to get noticed. That was where Taleron came into play…he had the valid argument for those people…." Kai assumed. "There must be some people who are against this system, why don´t they rebel?" "Humans were rarely the same opinion and less rare they take the same side, Xev." "Except of the insect war! Taleron isn´t that different, why don´t they rebel?" she asked. "The people in the LightZone didn´t rebel against His Shadow too. Only a small number perhaps…Thodin, Arcadia, but they were only few who had no chance," Kai said. "If someone can end this, than it must be the Arcannea. The people in the Pr´karesh Empire are living in fear and oppression like you once on the Cluster. Even if they´re able to see the truth, they can´t do anything. There´s a reason for the small number of rebels…they´re killed very fast!" He smiled wryly. " Will this conflict ever end? Wherever we go we are confronted with insect or their heir." Xev sighed discouraged. "I doubt that we will be able to wipe out entirely all insect remains…my and the Arcannean ancestors had tried, they didn´t succeed. Something always remains to make our lives a misery. And if it ends someday, then only to start anew, in the next cycle of time." He pressed his lips tightly together. Whatever changes were possible to the cycle of time, he doubted that the insects would vanish out of it. Maybe only if everything is going to be destroyed, but then there won´t be humans too after that. His thoughts went back to the current situation.

They had to go into the lion´s den – to Pr´karesh. They had to free Stanley before Taleron found a way to control the Lexx, who could easily break the Arcannean resistance.

The question was – how would they get to Pr´karesh? They had no Lexx, and also very less other possibilities to get there. But this would be the smallest problem. The Arcannea had enough ships…

Their problem would start as soon as they reach Pr´karesh.

They knew nothing about Talerons troops, anything about the situation there. Not even had he any idea how the planet looked like. The advantage to know Taleron, the advantage that he had significantly changed since they last met was only small if they had no better information about Pr´karesh. But in the end they had no choice. They had to go – he had to go to save Stanley.

It would be a dangerous mission, and he didn´t want to endanger more people, especially not Xev. She was strong, but if Taleron had enough troops of those modified hybrids maybe not strong enough to fight them.

A moment of silence arouse then Xev breathed deeply in: "Well, seems we have no other choice than to kick their asses again. We´ll see what Shereen says as soon as she arrives." Kai looked at her. "I´m assuming that you want to go there too…" Kai said. "Sure…what do you….wait…oh no, forget it," Xev shook her head fierce when she saw his expression. "You don´t want to go alone, don´t you?" Kai dropped his gaze to the floor. "It´s that obvious?" "I have some practice to follow what you´re up to do." "Seems that you have, yes," he said dryly. "I have to end what should have had an end 4000 years ago." "WE!" she corrected firmly. Kai sighed inwardly. Had he really thought that she would stay here? You´re a stupid guy sometimes he blustered at himself. "Taleron is very dangerous, he even was able to stop a divine assassin," he tried it a last time, but only half-hearted. "You´re not a divine assassin anymore. What had stopped you 4000 years ago now isn´t valid any longer. And he doesn´t know about this…we should try to use this as advantage!" Kai looked at her with his hazel eyes, still undecided about what she had said. "I know that we might have a chance because of this reason…but, after all, a part of me is still an assassin, Xev." He lifted his right arm with the brace. Xev laid her fingers firmly around his arm. He was partially right. Sure, she knew that only this part of him could hunt Taleron down, the part that was equal to the once merciless and deadly assassin. But she hesitated to call him an assassin any longer. This past was over for longer than only the time he was alive now. In fact, this past had been over when he got his memories back. "It´s the way we have to go, Kai. Billions of people are hoping that this war will end. And if the prophetess is right…you´re playing the crucial role in it. You´re the one who is holding the fate of the DarkZone in hands. And I don´t want you to go alone…it´s too much responsibility for one person…two hearts are as one heart, and this one heart," she pulled him closer, "has two….Whatever happens, we have to go through it together." Kai put his arm around her waist and pressed her tightly against his body. He was moved by her words, although he knew what consequences it could have. 6000 years ago, death had been the final consequence, the one or the other way…but now, he had to be afraid that something might happen to her, it was natural, but on the other hand, he knew that he couldn´t expect her to stay behind. It was impossible. He kissed her forehead and shoved her back a bit to look sharply into her eyes: "Promise me one thing Xev…no undaunted by death, irrational actions!" Xev dropped her gaze nervously. "I hold off, promised. But you understand that I can´t leave Stan in the lurch!" "None of us will," he nodded satisfied that she had agreed, at last formally. He let go of her and turned to go. "Where do you go?" she asked. "Practicing!" he said shortly, lifting his arm. Xev sighed and looked after him when he left the bridge. It was only the half-truth. He needed be alone for a moment after all this discussing. Maybe to develop a plan or idea, maybe to think about other things. Xev sat down next to 790 and tried to clear her thoughts too. Looking at all facts it held enough strong meat to digest. And knowing that they still had two hours left until Shereen would come aboard…what else should she do?

The two hours passed quickly and suddenly 790 announced that he got an incoming message. It was Shereen. 790 used the screen of the Lexx to display it. "Hello Xev! Permission to get aboard?" Xev jumped up: "Of course, we meet on the bridge!" "Okay, " Shereen smiled and the screen went black again. "Hold the fort 790! I´ll be back at once," She ran to the exit. "Ah, shit…790, do you know where Kai is?" "I wished far away from here," 790 murmured. "He´s in the cryochamber," he added quickly when a blaming gaze from Xev hit him. Xev trotted from the bridge.

She heard the familiar screeching of his weapon nearly a second too late when she entered the cryochamber. She crouched and rolled over the floor, missed it by a hair. Kai wasn´t less scared. Xev picked up the aim , a piece of plastic, neat cut in two, and held it out to him. "Good training," she said dryly. Kai secured the weapon and looked at her. "The next time you tell me that you´re coming in!" "Everything okay, now I know that my reflexes are still working." "We could have tested it in a different way…without making me jump," he growled. Xev smiled mischievously: "Sorry." She pointed backwards. "Shereen is arriving." Kai shook his head and mumbled something. Xev thought she heard anything like typical and clusterlizard . "Didn´t know that you´re that easily to scare," she teased him and followed him back to the bridge. "If it´s a question of _your_ life, I am," he replied dead serious. Xev´s smile vanished. "Hey!" She stopped him. "Please don´t waste any worries regarding me…this could lead to problematic situations, once we are in a fight!" she said. Kai turned and his nose was only inches apart from hers. "That´s the reason I didn´t want you to go with me…because I _do_ worry about you! I know that this is distracting!" Xev bit on her lips and her lips curled into a pout. "Oh…." Kai touched her arm gently: "You agreed on not making any stupidities…and this is what I meant with it. If you want me to worry less about you…keep your promise, then we both should be able to concentrate on our tasks, okay?" Xev nodded. "You´re right, okay." "I know…." He smiled back. "The same on you, my dear, no more hospitals, I´m fed up with it!" She demanded. "I´ll try," he answered, his smile fading a bit. He didn´t know exactly what lay in front of them, but what he doubted was that the conflict would wash over them without leaving any remains. Xev noticed it as well…but she took it and nodded:" Let us waste no time, let us kick Talerons ass! Let us go into a huddle!"

They continued their way to the bridge.

Shereen looked around curiously when she left her shuttle. The Lexx impressed her much. Till now she only had seen it from pictures or from the records Shore´ had made. In reality it was much more impressing. "There´s the bridge," Shore´ said and pointed forward. He had escorted her to the Lexx, because he knew that Shereen was about to make an important decision.

When they reached the bridge through the left passageway, they noticed that neither Kai nor Xev were there. Shereen looked around and fell nearly over 790. "I hope you aren´t here to order my darling Xev away again!" the robothead growled angry. Shereen had to grin, the talking robothead was something very amusing to her. She wasn´t sure if she ever would understand the crazy world they came from. "Hm, we don´t order people to go anywhere, we may ask them to go anywhere. But it´s their decision to do or not to do so." She crouched in front of 790 and looked at him with her silvery eyes. "Don´t touch me, bitch, my skin is to be touched only by Xev!" he said as threatening as he could. Shereen laughed and ignored it of course. She lifted him up and examined him closer. By using her telepathically skills she discovered quickly the small human part inside him…something she hadn´t before, well, who could imagine that a robot contained something human? "You seem to be a strange creature," she declared. "You have a small number of human feelings…astonishing!" "Of course, daughter of a bitch…I own a part of a male human brain that is full of love for my darling Xev!" His digital mouth curled up into a dreamy smile.

"The last time you said that you´re female and full of love for Kai!" Xev interjected and entered the bridge. "NEVER!" enraged 790. "I was a man and I will ever be a man!" argued the robot head. Shereen started to laugh loudly and handed Xev the head over. "I love you!" 790 stammered and looked doting at her. The loveslave sighed and put him down onto the pedestal. "He had been in love with Kai – until we reprogrammed him. The brainwash he has, was originally meant for me…thank god, even if his poems are sometimes really horrible to listen to." Xev said conspiratorial and shook hands with Shereen. "Welcome aboard the Lexx!" "Thank you. I´m happy for the opportunity to see this ship in reality. It is really amazing!" Whilst Xev was shaking hands with Shore´, Shereen turned at Kai, who had stopped behind Xev without speaking a word. "Kai! I´m pleased to see you healthy and alive!" she said warmly and greeted him smiling. Kai smiled back: "It had been a long way. Welcome aboard!" Shore´ greeted him heartily too. "We´re all glad. The Pr´karesh have taken already too many lives on our side!" Kai shook his head immediately. "Don´t blame the Pr´karesh, blame those who forced them to do such deeds…." Shereen looked inquiring at him. "What do you mean by that? You told Xev that you have important information about the Pr´karesh and the current situation?" She started at once with the reason they had met for. Xev lowered herself down onto the step the others followed suit. "I think we should throw all information together to find a way to free Stanley as well as to solve your problem." Kai suggested and opened the council of war.

Shereen nodded. "That´s the reason we´re here. After all difficulties are now put successfully at side…," she threw a knowingly look at Kai. "I do have some concrete ideas, but first I should update you on our current situation, which is, fortunately, a bit relaxed. We gathered more time, thanks to the new modified ships, which increased the strength of our defensive lines massive, and we were able to stop the advance of the Pr´karesh forces. This brought us the urgently needed pause to draw some breath." "Can´t we use the situation for another purpose, to free Stanley maybe?" Xev interjected. "On the other hand…how should we get there? The Lexx is out of question, Taleron had prevented that." She added a second later. "Had he killed Stanley immediately, he had spared us much annoyance!" bleated 790. Xev turned angrily at him: "790!" "It´s true!" "Off!" Xev ordered. 790 rolled his eyes but shut off. "As long as Taleron doesn´t know how he could control Stan to use the key or extract the key out of him, he´s safe hopefully!" "Excuse me," the President interrupted, "But who the heck is Taleron?" She looked a bit confused at the, as well as Shore´. Kai sighed, then he started to tell them everything.

"You understand, had I be able to stop him 4000 years ago…I would have spared you much inconvenience," he closed. Shereens gaze remained on the floor. "So the source of all our trouble finally has a name," Shore´ nodded. Shereen kept silent for some time longer and thought about everything that Kai had told them, and what he guessed from his point of view.

Taleron had brought the technology to the Pr´karesh, and with the human bestiality and greed of some individuals the Pr´karesh Empire was built up and threatened not only the Alliance, further more now the whole DarkZone. The heir of the insects has returned to their origin – the DarkZone…it was as if a circle was closing now. Would they suffer the same fate as the LightZone? Even after His divine shadow as the last insect had been killed, his heir and with it a part of the insect civilization seem to proof a long arm.

This conflict could truly mean the end of humanity like she had feared when she had read the forensic report for the first time. The insects weren´t able to defeat the human race…should a crazy biovesir succeed in turning humans into a human-insect breed? This was a far more terrible imagination than the whole destruction of humanity. Oh yes…there was indeed a circle closing…but it shouldn´t close around the end of humanity! How serious their situation was she realized now. What had begun as a simple war had turned into a question of be or not to be. It was obvious that they never had succeed alone…without Kai, Xev and Stanley. The prophetess had been right!

She lifted her head. "Life is a series of decisions, good or bad, they lead the way we go. Sometimes there´s fate which don´t leave us a choice, like in you case Kai. But what really counts is, that all decisions we made have leaded us here. We´re all together here now. I know that it isn´t easy to make some decisions," she looked firmly at Kai when she said that, "But for we are here now…we can do something to stop this harm that didn´t concern the Arcannea alone any longer. And I have to agree Kai, the Pr´karesh may also be only victims in this war, the truly guilty are individuals, first of all the one you call Taleron. He´s playing with a dangerous fire. And I cannot admit that he is bringing parts of the insect intelligence back to life!" She said very determined. "You´re asking how we gonna get to Pr´karesh?" Xev nodded. "Not only Stanley is a good reason to go there. We have to stop Taleron and those who are responsible for everything! We have to stop their plans. And a grueling defense war leads to nothing. Too many people have already died on both sides. And we cannot wait for a breakdown through other forces of this Empire. Like the place you come from, there´s not much resistance there. So we are the only ones who can do something. We have to go to Pr´karesh, we have to end this craziness!" she said. "He might not expect that, but he has enough power to stop such a mission!" Kai interposed straight-faced. "I know, but there are things he didn´t know about us. Things we can use for advantage. My people had fought against the insects 21000 years ago and till today we kept something that is also a remain from these days. I´m ready to use it to get to Pr´karesh. He believes to be superior with his insect technology, with his coup to made the Lexx useless for us, but he isn´t. We have stopped his forces, but this is only the beginning. I´m about to show him that very very clearly!" Determined she looked at every one of them and Kai couldn´t help but feel much more respect for her. Under all her presidential authority and her diplomatic facade, there seemed to sleep a warrior inside her. "You have a plan?" he asked. She looked straight into his face. "Yes and no. I´m honest. We have to get there to free Stanley, to eliminate Taleron. About this I have a plan, indeed. But everything else depends on the situation on Pr´karesh. We cannot plan for something we don´t know until we see it with our own eyes. And there´s also the resources question. We don´t have much resources for such a mission. So I thought about a small group that won´t cause any stir. How do you think about it?" she asked them. "It´s a possibility I also considered. Of all possibilities it´s the one I would consider the best option to be successful, although it takes many risks." Shereen nodded: "That´s true, it´s risky and dangerous, but if we succeed…." "We?" Shereen smiled mysteriously. "You´ll see. So it´s decided? We go to Pr´karesh?" Kai agreed, as well as Xev. She put her fingers around his and squeezed him slightly. They all got up. Shore´ hadn´t said much, his brows were furrowed and he watched Shereen concerned. He had an idea of his own what she wanted to do and wasn´t all too happy about it. But he kept silent.

Shereens smile broadened: "My ancestors were proud to fight side by side with the BrunnenG against the insects, and I am proud to fight against a similar threat together with the last of this once great people!" She shook hands with him. Kai took it and said: "I am glad that your nation hasn´t forgotten about their responsibility and is about to face this threat. If my people had done this 6000 years ago…I think they had spared much inconvenience to the universe!" Shereen laid her other hand on his. "The life is going its way, Kai. Your people had done so much…without them, there would no us – they might have taken the wrong path sometime, but they have despite left something behind: legends of their courage, their will to save humanity, to fight for it. It still means a lot to my people, it had meant a lot to those who already vanished and in the meantime it means a lot for other, much younger nations too. We owe them this – and this is what we should never forget – everything else is minor. And if we survive, then this heir will live on too, in all of us! Let us put our words into action!" Kai bowed his head in agreement, he was very touched by Shereens speech. She had shown him a different view about his people. "Thank you Shereen. I´m the one who is honored…I hope I satisfy my ancestors and will succeed what my people weren´t able to end," he replied. "You will, I´m sure about that…you proved it 6000 years ago and again when you killed His Shadow," Xev said and squeezed his hand. Kai nodded slowly…maybe, yes.

Shereen: "May we go?" She led the way to the shuttle she and Shore´ had come with. "I want to show you something that will open the doors to Pr´karesh!"

Xev took 790 from the pedestal and all mounted the shuttle to fly to Sha´ra, to learn what Shereen had meant by her mysterious words.


	30. Talerons plans

Chapter 29

**Talerons plans**

Taleron fret and fumed. "What should it mean: Their defense lines are too strong, we´re not able to break through?" The Major on the other end of the communication line gulped: "T-they seem to have n-new ships, our weapons aren´t superior any more. We cannot destroy their ships that easy like before." Taleron rolled his eyes. "Of course, I should have thought about that earlier," he murmured. They had had enough time to study the Lexx and somehow they had been successful in copying the protection system. It was about time to start phase 2 of his plan… "What should we do now, biovesir?" the Major asked nervously. "Our next generation of weapons isn´t completed yet, but facing this situation we have to change our strategy as well. The number of our forces are much higher than the number of their new ships…we will beat them with the pure number of our ships. I will send reinforcement. We have to take Arcannea down. Understood?" Taleron said sharply. "Y-yes, biovesir!" The Major saluted and the screen went blank. Taleron sat down and stared down gloomily. Those Arcannea didn´t learn that their resistance was useless! It annoyed him that this small backstep endangered his schedule. Do what you have to do. Every point in time now is as good as any his inner voice whispered at him. His insect side provided him with new ideas. The treatment with the insect-DNA had put much more comfortable sides to his world of thoughts.

The point in time…as a matter of principle he would have started to built up his new order after they would have won the war, but maybe it was better to start with it now. After all those forces would return to their homeworlds everything would be much more difficult to control. And with most people on the frontline the rest of the inhabitants of his Empire were much easier to control and to select for the things he had in mind. He opened a communication channel to Voran, the chief and Captain of the palace guards as well as the man for anything that needed organizational efforts. "To the laboratories, now!" he ordered and closed the channel before Voran could confirm. He left the busy control room and descended two levels. He walked quickly towards the huge hall, where the laboratories were housed. He ignored the screams of the human test subjects, which were treated in some labs by some of his scientists and entered a smaller lab at the end of the hall. Voran entered the same time.

The machine in the middle of the weakly lit room was occupied when they entered. At first sight it looked a lot like the Lusticon on the Cluster. And it seemed to work in a similar way…but here it was used for a special and not to comparable purpose.

There were of course many ways to manipulate the DNA, the Arcannea did it with Kai, and in the beginning, Taleron had his methods in other ways, but now he had developed this machine to make this process a simple task and for further use: a fast one. A criteria that was very important for his plans.

The scientist there had just finished another experiment and no one had thought that the poor individual on the table once had been the Captain of the one ship that had survived the Lexx´s attack. Two guards pulled his numb body from the machine and dragged him out of the lab. One wasn´t really able to tell if he was still alive or not.

When Taleron invented this machine, he used several people and turned them into guards for his palace service. With the machine he was able to construct much more of these modified humans in a much shorter time. The treatment was equal on every single one and those first prototypes weren´t crucial stronger than normal human beings. But he created his first elite-guard with it, and sent a lot of them out to every planet in his Empire.

A lot had happened since that day. It had only been stone's throw to the level he now was at. They would enter the next level of modified humans soon.

His work on very special skilled and trained modified humans was still not possible. Individuals like Sa´k would never be mass-production . It wasn´t necessary. He wanted to change all humans into these modified human-insect-hybrids, but he had to keep his power over them. There must always be one who was stronger.

Despite he never had used this machine on his body, he wasn´t in need of it. The way he changed had started on the Cluster long ago…the day he had injected the base of the compound into his system when he had to flee.

When he had arrived here, he knew that a lot of work was needed until he could complete the started process…a process that was nearly completed now…but this last step wasn´t necessary at the moment.

And of course, this special treatment wasn´t something that was intended for the ordinary humans around him. He had to stay on top of this development. Sa´k being the only exception, for he needed a guard to protect his more and more weakening body.

"Do you succeed in improving the effectiveness of the compound?" he demanded to know. "Yes, a little. After revenue the test subject had to be treated with the machine within 36 to 48 hours. Everything before is too early and after, well, our tests have proved that with the new catalyst the DNA is stressed much more and will be destroyed, what immediately leads to death." "That´s acceptable. This period should be enough for any organizational efforts." Taleron was given a bottle with a greenish-brown liquid and he nodded satisfied at his newest development. This was the third generation of the compound…the agent would alter the DNA in a third of the time than the second generation. After receiving the compound, any human would undergo the treatment in the machine after 36hours, so the insect-DNA parts could be inserted into the relaxed human-DNA. The machine would adjust the degree of the change on demand. If they were in need of more soldiers, the people would be treated with more insect DNA-material than a scientist or anyone who only would receive orders to fulfill specific tasks where no will and own thinking was necessary.

He couldn´t allow all new hybrids to be as strong as the guards. But he wanted them to be as efficient as possible as a whole. All humans would be stronger than they are now. Those who were not suitable would of course be extinguished. He turned to Voran: "Every available ship and all men and women necessary are ordered to the frontline, they should reinforce our troops there to defeat the Arcannea once and for all. Inform the military forces about that. The rest of the remaining guards will care about the people on the planets. I want that the availability of machines and devices on every planet of the Empire is checked. After, the application of this compound should begin. The local forces will separate the people and then we will start with the organization of our new order in the DarkZone! After we defeat the Arcannea Alliance we will spread our power ultimately, and I want that the Empire is ready for that! Every single returning ship with its crew can then easily checked and treated. Start with it…NOW!"

Voran gulped: "_All_ possible forces?" Taleron looked at him: "Yes…_all_. I don´t want any ship left around here….if it´s not completely broken or something like that. I thought I made myself clear." "Yes, biovesir, but then no one is able to defend the planets, if there´s someone who might attack us…!" Voran interjected hesitating. It wasn´t clever to object, but he couldn´t ignore the loss of protection. Taleron´s face turned grimly: "And who should attack us? The Arcannea? We are going to push them away from our territory, and you´re talking about an attack to our Empire? Do as I told you…before you get one treatment more than necessary!" Voran nodded and hurried to follow these new orders. Well…if their leader was sure that they would defeat the Arcannea now…

Taleron held the bottle up with a piercing look hit the scientist: "And it works properly?" "Yes, biovesir. We were able to do many experiments and tests, after you left so many test subjects to us…," the man said. Taleron nodded, prisoners of war were the most useful test subjects he knew. "Alright. Then I think a last test on a special test subject will not be amiss. What is this compound made for?" "It´s a safety-compound. It controls a person's will and is thought for tasks without specific skills. As long as he has his orders, he will do as told." "That´s exactly what I need. You heard my orders? I want you to support Voran with everything needed, especially with the mass-production of this compound!" "Yes biovesir!" The scientist bowed and Taleron left the laboratories quickly towards the prison cells. The bottle still in his hands.

On the way he called for Sa´k, the plan already complete in his mind.

Stanley walked enervated up and down in his cell. He hadn´t any idea how much time had passed since he was kidnapped, but it felt like eternity. When the cell door finally opened he winced. Slowly he advanced backward until he felt the wall behind him when he saw who came through the door. "I just came by and thought…why don´t we go on a trip Stanley. This cell must be really depressing for you…and so lonely. What do you think about returning to the Lexx and…," Taleron made a few steps forward, "…you´re going to help me to solve some little problems?" Stanley shook his head. "Forget about it, I can imagine how this would look like." "Brave words. But unfortunately you own something I´m badly in need for…the key to the Lexx. And since it chose you as its host…I need you. You surely understand that!" "Never. I´d rather die…," Stan gulped. Well, he really didn´t want to die, the words just slipped out his mouth. Stan cursed himself for talking such shit. But in the other hand…he didn´t want to help this monster. "Dead you´re no use for me, but as I haven´t expected you to help me voluntarily…we´re prepared for such a case." He waved and Sa´k entered the room. Without any haste and effort he grabbed Xev and pushed him onto the bed. Taleron filled a syringe with the compound. "I have had much time under His Shadows reign to do many experiments, Stanley, unfortunately His Shadow wasn´t pleased with the topic of my experiments. But I have a very clear vision for the perfect order in this universe. No longer fighting for the uniqueness of human or insect…no, if both are united, a new society will arose, don´t you think?" "You´re completely nuts!" Stan gasped, struggling against Sa´ks firm grip. "Do you think? I see myself more as a man with visions. And you Stanley Tweedle should feel honored to be a part of this new society soon." "I resign…," Stanley growled. "Really? This wasn´t an offer, you have no choice. See, there will be different kinds of people in this new order, and since some are not very cooperative, I have to control them. Relax it´s not dissimilar to your former job. Just receive orders and do as you were told….As soon as I have injected this compound into your system you will go with Sa´k to fetch the Lexx. When you return here, your DNA is prepared to take the new insect-DNA-parts in and I believe that the insect-DNA will help to control your fear a little bit better in future." Stan turned pale when he heard what Taleron had in mind, for him and obviously for the rest of this universe. But any resistance was smothered at once by Sa´k. "You´ll be my opinion in a few minutes. Oh, and shouldn´t you despite not do as you were told…without the final treatment here on Pr´karesh, you will die within 48 hours. Keep that in mind." Stan watched the syringe closing in and he started to scream when Taleron injected the compound into his left arm. Everything went black around him and his body hung limp in Sa´ks grip. "He will wake up in two hours. Take a ship and fly back to Arcan´s, enter the Lexx…and while we´re at it…destroy the Arcannea-planetary-system at once, then you´ll return. He will follow your orders without any problems…I think there´s enough time to return here within 48 hours." Sa´k nodded: "Yes biovesir." "Good, they won´t expect such an action, despite be careful, now go!" Taleron ordered. Sa´k threw Stan over his shoulder like a sack and left the cell. Taleron grinned…oh yes, he was satisfied with this part. The days of the Arcannea were counted. His insect side was more than pleased….


	31. A historical secret

Chapter 30

**A Historical Secret**

Xev was very curious about Shereens mysterious words. When they flew back together to Sha´ra, it was obviously that she avoided any contact with all official authorities, including the government. "There are situations when we have to act…not discuss, Xev. We haven´t had such a situation for a long time. But government and crisis squad have to cope without me. I cannot risk any hint of the nature of our mission at anyone else than those who are involved. Too much is at stake." Shereen had started to explain when they entered the atmosphere and then again the sea. Not surprising to Kai and Xev when they again navigated towards some well-hidden underwater buildings. Shore´ navigated the shuttle inside and Shereen lead them through a tunnel to the entry of a huge, hangar-like complex. "This underwater base is our best kept secret. Only to use in emergency… for a matter between surviving and downfall. You´ll see why in a second." She smiled and opened the door.

Xev marveled at what was revealed to them when they entered the hangar. Twelve small ships were standing along the wall, surrounded by technicians and devices she wasn´t able to determine. These 12 pitch-black ships hadn´t any similarity with other Arcannean ships she had seen so far. But despite they were somehow familiar to her, but she couldn´t say at once from where…

Kai on the other hand made a quick step forward when he recognized their shape…it was the same kind of ship he had flown when he had attacked the Foreshadow. These ships may were slightly bigger and more modern, but it definitely was the shape of the insect shaped ships the BrunnenG had used during the insect war.

The security chief of the Arcannea station, Yareena, approached them. She had cared about the preparation of these ships on Shereens orders. Now she came to greet them…not without noticing Kai´s astonishment. "We maintained their shape and improved some of the older technology a bit. The weapon-system for example. They´re no longer rockets, they are equipped with high-energetic laser weapons, and the drive, they´re not limited on interplanetary flights," she explained and pointed at the scorpion-shaped tails of the small fighters. "They are not designed for massive attacks at the Pr´karesh ships, they´re only small ships, made for fast attacks, for reconnaissance or fights against other fighters. " She closed with a sideward glance at Shereen who nodded satisfied.

Kai closed the distance to the small ships and touched its surface. He hadn´t seen them in black before, but the design was clearly the same, in every detail. He turned back at his friends and asked with a serious expression: "The controls?" "Unchanged. Regarding the exceptions Yareena counted we left them unchanged, they´re like they were built 20 000 years ago. Have you ever flown such a ship?" Shereen asked. Kai nodded slowly. "My people preserved some of the old ships, in a museum, for their curious technology….When His Divine Shadow attacked us, they were the only ships we had to defense the planet. So we took them. It was the last day I flew this kind of ship." Slowly he surrounded the fighter, memory after memory returning to him this moment. Strong and unmeant. Kai had to stop, he closed his eyes and let hung his head for a moment. His innermost tensed when he remembered the moment he and his friends had mounted these ships to fly towards their certain death. They knew what awaited them, but none of them hesitated, none of them withdrew. They knew that it was senseless to defense their home, to save their home…but better this way than to die without trying. He couldn´t stop some tears from falling…it was a moment that still unbalanced him.

But, as always, someone was there to help. He needn´t to open his eyes to know whom fingers stopped them. "Thank you Xev," he whispered and smiled a bit. Xev stroke softly over his cheek and looked from the ship to Kai and back. "It´s a strange sensation to see those ships again. I always believed that those we flew had been the last of their kind," he said after a moment and opened his eyes again. "We thought the same about the insect-technology…," "The heir of His Shadow won´t be destroyed that easy," he said. "But it seems that the Arcannea also didn´t forget about their past," Xev replied and touched the outside of the ship. Admitted, their moths seemed to be made of a similar material, but of course, their moths weren´t made to go into battle. They had no weapons. These vessels did. "No, they haven´t forgotten anything. Not the technology, not the memories…not the responsibility. Something I cannot tell about my people." Kai sighed. "_You_ haven´t forgotten," Xev disagreed. "How could I?" he said and opened the cockpit, threw a gaze inside. He only needed one look to remember the controls. "How do you fly it?" Xev asked. "It´s very simple, I´ll show you," he shoved her inside the cockpit and explained the controls to her.

Shereen put Shore´ and Yareena aside in the meantime and gave them new orders. Yareena would fly to Pr´karesh as well as she, Kai and Xev. Eight regular pilots would complete this squadron. Shore´ shook his head and said: "I´m not sure if this is a good idea, Shereen. There will be a riot in the government when they learn what you´re doing here!" "Then they won´t learn what I´m doing. Not now. I´m asking you for two days, provide us two days. We cannot risk that too many people know about it." "Two days is long…in this crisis?" Shore´ said. "We have to reach Pr´karesh before anyone except of us knows what we´re up to do. We will be there within 10hours, if everything works smooth, but this is only the time we need to get to Pr´karesh, not calculated in the time we have to spend on the planet." She said determined. "I´ll try my best…," Shore´ sighed, "But if Te´ran finds out…he´ll kill me!" "He´s at the front, leave that to my concern. He has enough to do there, Talerons advancing may be stopped, but he will re-organize his troops to succeed, and we still haven´t enough ships to beat them…it´s at best a stand-off. Besides…if he´s putting his ass into the fireline…I cannot sit here and twiddle my thumbs…," she snorted. "Alright, I tell him exactly that if he´s making representations," Shore´ laughed. "Good luck! I hope for your save return, we all do," he said after a moment, more serious again. "Yes, we´ll try our best. We need much luck, and maybe a small miracle too." She embraced Shore´. "Keep an eye on the government. You have my full support on any decision." "I am scientist and counselor, not a politician," Shore´ protested. "You once had been a member of the government…and I trust you. Please, don´t refuse, I need someone there I can trust!" Shore´ sighed. His political career had ended 60 years ago… "You know that I cannot reject any plea from you…I keep an eye on it. But only until your return…"! "Thank you Shore´…I knew you´re reliable," "Our hopes and thoughts are with you!" He said goodbye and embraced her a last time. Then they parted and he vanished back through the door to take the shuttle back to his deeds.

Shereen looked over to her friend Yareena who had completely taken off her role as security chief of the station. She now returned to the simple state of a fighter pilot. Yareena stood next to her fighter and made the last preparations for their flight. Shereen looked over the scenery and remembered that it was long ago that she had watched the start of fighters, and much longer that she had flown one on her own. The presidency didn´t leave her any time for this. She hoped that she remembered how to control the ship!

Her gaze stopped when she spotted Kai and Xev.

Such a strange couple, but so very deep in love and respect for each other. Put together by more than mysterious circumstances. With a fate that left only few happiness inside Kai, but at least they had their love…the strongest power to heal everything someday…

She slowly walked towards them, it was time to hit the road.

Like Yareena she wore a simple but useful dark flight suit. The bag over her shoulder contained different things that might be useful for their mission.

"Kai?" she called for the BrunnenG´s attention. He stopped with his instructions for Xev and looked questioning at her. "I´d like to ask for something…!" she started. "If I´m able to accomplish your request…" he replied. "I´m sure you´re able to. I´d like you to take command of the squad and the mission to Pr´karesh!" Kai furrowed his brows. "I think you dispose of essential more experience about tactical knowledge than anyone of us will ever possess. And besides this fact…it would be a honor for me," Shereen was very serious about it and her expression showed it clearly. Xev looked surprised from Kai to Shereen and back. She saw Kai´s hesitation, well, considering the repeating of a similar situation thousands of years ago, it was understandable.

Shereen of course knew about it too. But she had her reason to ask Kai for it. She wanted him to know that she trusted him, that every one in the Alliance would trust him. The prophecy had to be fulfilled and she knew that Kai needed this input of trust and confidence. After a very long moment he finally agreed. "Alright!" he said. Shereen smiled. "Thank you. We talked about everything necessary so far. Our first aim is to reach Pr´karesh. The flight will take about 10hours, and on Pr´karesh we are on our own. I ask you for two things to consider: first: please forget about my status as President from now on, I´m one of these pilots, nothing more. And second: very good luck, whatever awaits us!" Xev started to smile when she heard her say that. She dismounted the insect craft and shook hands with her. "And third…Let us kick Talerons ass!" Shereen grinned back. "In any case, all of us are waiting for that!" Kai showed a slight smile. "Good luck," he added as well, "We will need it!" He shook hands with Shereen and squeezed it slightly. Shereen nodded and turned to walk to her fighter. Xev looked at Kai: "Ok, that means we´re taking off now, do we?" She pointed at the controls, a bit nervous. A moment of silence arouse when they locked eyes. Xev detected the concern and the anxiety for her in his eyes. She bit on her lips when she realized how familiar this moment must be to him. "I´ll take care, Kai, promised. No gabbiness." He nodded slightly after a few seconds. "I know!" Xev gulped, she couldn´t wait any longer. She embraced him firmly. "We´re gonna meet on Pr´karesh – let us free Stan," she whispered. Kai didn´t reply anything. Too many thoughts were running through his mind. A strong sensation rose inside him. It was the same he had felt 6000 years before what he so suddenly remembered. It was the same sensation to be trapped by destiny, with no other possibility to continue this once taken path. Well, of course he could turn his back on this mission right here and now…but what right does he have to do so? His life made only sense if he was able to help the Arcannea to stop the Pr´karesh. Despite all, he felt sick about being pushed forward by fate in this way…this would never change. He lacked off Xev´s bright optimism. Well, after 6000 years such things were worn out a bit. Fortunately Xev was so very different at those things, thanks for both of them. He stroke gently over her hair, then he made a small step back, to watch at her. Her face showed clearly enough worries and anxiety for him too.

"Do na ta va-siu me ra," he said low und bowed forward to kiss her. "I love you – eternally," he whispered against her lips. Unknowingly he had used the very same words like then. But even the memory hurt, he felt that this time it would be different. Xev smiled and threw her arms around him once again. "What´s the male analogy of darunee?" She wanted to know. Kai squeezed her slightly and then he pulled away. He looked at her, stroking some straws out of her face. "Darun," he replied. Xev smiled, she could hear the noise rising around them, it was time to go… tears sprang into her eyes. She wanted to tell him once again how much she loved him, she had done this often before, but never in his own language. She didn´t know how it would sound if she used the brunnish words, but she tried: "Sa´t va ta ray, darun." It sounded a bit jolty in her ears, far away from the melodious way he spoke them, but she noticed that he clearly understood.

Kai was more than touched to hear words in his language after such a long time, and this time it was on him to embrace and kiss her once again for the last time before they had to go. There was no time for further words. "Take care," they said at the same time, then they mounted their ships.

Kai breathed deeply in when he activated the controls. "May fate give rain to whatever it is up to," he said to himself. Then he declared his first command at the squad. "Get ready for the start!" His voice was firm and determined. He opened a channel to the base control and secured their permission for the start.

They left the base through the ceiling, where a tunnel led them through the water up to the surface of Sha´ra. The tunnel opened out in one of the rare islands on the planet, which were uninhabited. With highspeed they left the planet and the Arcannea-system. They were like black shadows no one noticed. And for the first time after 6000 years, Kai led a new squad of fighters against a superior enemy.

Exactly at that time the whole Pr´karesh Empire was in turmoil. Thousands of ships left their homeplanets. At Talerons orders every planet of the 200 mustered all available troops and ships. Voluntary or nonvoluntary. They were ordered to the front and Taleron coordinated them from his control room on Pr´karesh. He had to stay there, for the other project needed the same attention. For some time there was much traffic between all planets, on all communication channels. But soon it decreased. The space around the Pr´karesh Empire seemed to be almost empty. Only a few transport ships or shuttles remained to support his second orders. The people on the planets didn´t know what was coming up at them soon.

Would there be an enemy strong enough to attack…every door was open now, but like Taleron said, there wasn´t anyone who could be a threat to him now. The Arcannea were encircled more and more…and His Divine Shadow would never be a threat. What should happen to him and his plans now? Taleron was sure that his victory was only a question of time…a very short period of time.

The defense that was left on Pr´karesh was more effective than any ship with heavy armor. He had his palace guards and most of them were already the newest generation of modified soldiers. They would stop anyone who would try to enter the palace.

Taleron was in buoyant spirit when he watched all the activity around. His aim was really close now!

The Arcannea and the Pr´karesh forces concentrated up at the current borderline only a few hours away from the Arcannea-planetary system. On both sides they waited for orders, for strategies…

The DarkZone waited for the biggest conflict since the days of the insect war. It was as if the Universe held its breath for this one final hit that would obviously come soon…

And completely unnoticed and unaffected 12 small insect ships flew straight way towards Pr´karesh…directly into the lion´s den, so to speak. Not knowing that a small advantage was opened to them this very moment.

Xev grumbled over the communication channel about the uncomfortable flight in these small ships. "I know," was Kai´s answer. The time he had spent in this little craft had been much shorter, in training and during their last fight of course. He wasn´t able to shake off all memories, but the concentration at what laid ahead of them helped him a little.

His fighting spirit was re-awakened and he was grateful for this new motivation .

Shereen messaged: "We enter the Pr´karesh Empire in a few minutes. For we don´t know how many ships were prying around, I suggest we keep silence from now on. In one hour we arrive at Pr´karesh, and we don´t want to address our arrival to them that early, won´t we?" "Yes, of course," Xev agreed. Kai opened his channel. He had spent the past hours with developing different scenarios of their arrival. In an emergency case, everyone had to react very fast, they had to be prepared for everything. "If despite a welcome party awaits us…I suggest that you try to distract them as long as Xev and I need to land." "I´m coming with you. There´s something I have to discuss with Taleron…and I take this occasion!" Shereen interjected. Kai hesitated. He knew that Shereen was clearly up to go with them from the beginning, but he didn´t know exactly why. Shereen clearly seemed to have an interest of her own. But that a President would go somewhere dangerous…this was more than strange to him. "Shereen…," he started to object. "No buts…I know what I am doing. I´m aware about the risk. Besides, you need me. Where do you want to land? Where do you want to go? I know some little things about this planet you don´t know. So don´t try to convince me about staying in the orbit! You´ll need me!" Shereen said determined.

Of course she had an interest of her own to go to Pr´karesh. It was all part of the plan…as unspecified it was, but some major points in it demanded her presence.

Kai sighed inwardly. "Okay. Yareena, you´re in command of the squad. If no one is in our way or notices us, we try to go down unnoticed…" "And we´re patrolling so no bad surprise come down on us, understood!" Yareena said and smiled. "Kick their asses, good luck!" "Likewise," Kai responded. "We´ll call as soon as we need your help!" Shereen added. "Okay. Over."

So their further proceeding was discussed and radio silence rose.

Silent and invisible like shadows, they flew through the whole hostile sector, closed in unstoppable at Pr´karesh. Everyone had his eyes on the screens to watch any ships close by, but nothing showed up until they saw a greenish-brown and white planet outside. Some spots on the planet were darker and some even blue, obviously water.

Besides much debris in the orbit as well as asteroids, nothing else crossed their way. The dockyards were nearly empty, only two or three transport ships were docked. But no patrol showed up. Kai furrowed his brows. Looking at the dockyard he discovered that it possessed some weapon systems and surely they also had some sensors to survey the space around Pr´karesh. Kai knew that it wasn´t easy to discover their ships…they had some technical advantages…they didn´t show up on any radar… but the risk to get spotted was despite high…12 ships, 12 possibilities…

Kai concentrated back to the space around Pr´karesh. His scans hadn´t discovered anything else besides the dockyard and their ships…

Where was the whole military presence he had expected to protect Pr´karesh?

He left the formation and set all sensors at its maximum, he encircled the station in safe distance, used the debris and the asteroids as cover to collect some data. He detected several ion traces…as if some hours ago many ships had been here…

Kai returned to his squad and sent an encoded message to Shereen, Yareena and Xev. He was concerned. Taleron must have pulled a lot of ships together and sent them to another place…possibly to the frontline, a new major offensive after he had discovered the ability of the Arcannean ships to withstand his fire power. It was a stand-off, and Taleron wanted to compensate it by outnumbering them. He had a good chance with it… the Arcannea may had new ships…but until that point in time not enough to withstand such an enormous attack. If they were able to do something here…they had to do it now!

Shereens answer was short. She wanted to land. Kai of course had expected that. The strange situation here was obviously not a trap, he was 99 sure of that. But what awaited them on Pr´karesh? Taleron wasn´t stupid, he may have put all his concentration at the soon crucial battle, but he couldn't think of Taleron as a man without concerning about his own defense. This wouldn´t be the Taleron who had fooled His Shadow and escaped the most dangerous assassin of the Divine Order. He was nearly sure that it was only a matter of time until Taleron would discover their presence once they had entered the planet. And then time would run twice as fast as before. He activated the map saved on the ship´s computer and calculated the course to the already marked landing place.

Seconds later they left the orbit in opposite direction of the dockyard, the planet as a cover between them. They - this included, Xev, Shereen and himself. Yareena was now in command of the remaining ships, which spread and used the debris in the orbit for cover. They would wait until new orders would be sent to them.


	32. Descending

Chapter 31

**Descending**

Their small ships touched the ground softly when they reached the coordinates on Pr´karesh. The three left their fighters. They landed somewhere outside of the capital city on a plateau high above. It was cold up here, clearly proofed by the snow which covered the ground beneath them. Xev shivered at once…it was definitive too cold for her, but her curiosity let her examine the cold white substance. "What´s that?" she asked surprised when it melted to water in her hands. "Snow," Kai answered and let some of it trickling through his fingers. "If the temperatures decrease to 0°C no rain comes from the sky, the water crystallizes and you have snow." Xev looked around and watched fascinated the snow-covered mountains…again something completely new to her. "It´s beautiful…but way to cold," she murmured rubbing her arms. "Brrr," the clusterlizard didn´t like this coldness.

Kai walked a few meters forward, to the edge of this side of the plateau. The face plunged down 200-300 meters. Beneath them laid the capital city of Pr´karesh. Not very big, but its importance was clearly visible by the huge building on the left side. The former governmental residence, and current domicile of Taleron, nestled on the rear left outskirts of the town. Right behind, another rangy area started to grow up to high mountains. In principle, the town was surrounded at two sides by mountains, the plateau they currently stand on, and the area at their left hand. Opposite them the landscape was even, crossed by a river. "It once had been very beautiful here," he heard Shereen say when she joined him. A shadow crossed her face when she saw the bleakly buildings of the town, some of them already showed decay. Even the area around the capital city was somehow bleakly. No trees, idle lying land…even the bright sunny day wasn´t able to enlighten the brownish-gray colors around them. The town was as extinct as the land. Kai looked at her: "You´ve been here?" "That was long ago, yes, it once was a blooming metropolis, good food, skilled trade goods…you should have seen their cloth…everything in handwork-tradition. Those factories?" She pointed at some facilities close to the river. Kai nodded. "That´s where they had dyed them in the brightest colors I have ever seen. They abided to their traditional handicrafts… and it was good that way. But someday their downfall began, we don´t know why, not even yet. Maybe it was their entry to the Alliance, maybe their own politics, corruption, it´s hard to tell." "Bad times are always good times for people like Taleron," Kai said and watched the city carefully. Its houses were mostly middle sized and low, rarely a house had more than one level. On the streets lay a lot of debris he couldn´t exactly determine it from here.

"Maybe, yes, who knows what promises he had made…but some of their influential politicians must have been unconscionable enough to see an advantage in it." Shereen replied. "They didn´t know who they made an ally with," Kai said lost in thoughts. Shereen looked at him. "Those biovesirs, how you call them, have they been scientists on the Cluster?" Kai pressed his lips together. "Scientists," he said snidely, "This term really doesn´t fit!" Shereen nodded slowly: "Of course not, when I think what you have told me about what they have done…," Shereen looked back at the town.

"What now?" Xev asked and joined them. Kai turned. "We should find a way down there," he suggested and withdrew from the edge and walked to the right side. Xev looked skeptically at Shereen. "It will be warmer down there," Shereen calmed the shivering woman. "Hrmpf…and _how _should we get down there?" She asked and looked down onto the town. "It´s as deserted as the orbit," she said. "It was, but it isn´t any longer," Kai interjected and walked into the opposite direction he just had come from. "Kai? WAIT! What do you mean by that?" Xev called after him. She couldn´t see anything down there. But Kai didn´t answer. Shereen nodded. "He´s right Xev. There are people down there…but I doubt that they belong to the original inhabitants." The Arcannea had concentrated right after Kai´s comment and now she was able to detect something very vaguely. She was surprised about Kai´s excellent observation. He really had to offer special skills. Xev only shook her head. "What does it mean?" "That´s another good question," Shereen mused. Kai came back, he had heard the last comment. "He knows that someone is here," he said, "We should disappear from here…as long as we can hide our identity we should try to do that. He´ll surely send some soldiers up here for reconnaissance." " So much for: Walk in – free Stan – vanish," Xev sighed. Kai looked at her with an amused glinting in his eyes. "You really haven´t thought that it would be that easy, don´t you?" Xev rolled her eyes. "Not without a concrete plan… we don´t have one, or do we?" she asked. Kai threw a gaze at Shereen who shrunk her shoulders. "As I already told you…it´s completely useless, we cannot make plans for we don´t know what awaits us here." "Wonderful, so we don´t have a plan…," Xev sighed. "Not completely right, I have some ideas…and I think our first concern is…how to get down there!" Shereen said. Xev followed her outstretched hand. "And do we have a plan for that?" Kai unlocked his brace. "We rope down." That´s what he had looked for, and he already found a suitable point. "I will secure the down roping when you follow me from ledge to ledge," he showed them the rope that was connected to his brace. "Can´t we just jump down and you just shoot your brace into the rock to catch us?" Xev asked. Kai shook his head. "There are too many ledges we wouldn´t be able to evade during our fall. I guess I would survive an impact, but you won´t. It´s the only way." "Alright, then let us waste no time," Xev agreed and stopped on a point of the edge where Kai had led them to. Kai nodded. "I´ll wait on the first ledge, 50m below us, just grab the rope and follow me," he said and looked at them. Then he lifted his arms and jumped graceful from the edge without hesitating. During the fall he fired his brace and his fall was stopped a split second before he had hit the ledge. He landed on his feet, the rope was secured and he kept the rope tight when both women started their descend.

On their way down, it became clear that every other descending method would have been too dangerous. The ledges were very sharp-edged and not even…nothing that was funny after all. To jump from ledge to ledge was indeed safer.

After they had reached the first ledge they continued down and down. Kai secured all the way and he was more than surprised that the use of his brace wasn´t that uncomfortable to him than he had thought. Of course, he felt some strain, but nothing that he wasn´t able to compensate. His living body took it in far better than he had expected. Noraan did a good job on everything.

Kai looked down to the right side, the last ledge before they could rope down together.

It really got much warmer the more they descended, he sensed that the temperature had risen from 0 to nearly 20 °C…and he expected that 100m below them, it would rise again.

He blinked when he felt some drops of sweat blurring his sight. He swiped them away with his free arm. It was still strange to feel such reactions from his body.

"How far is it?" Xev demanded to know. She hung three meters above him. "One ledge left, then we can drop together." "Puhhh, that´s good to hear. My arms and legs are really exhausted…," she said and jumped down the last meters until she landed at his side. Kai equilibrated the rope at once so that Shereen wasn´t pushed against the rocky wall. She joined them a few seconds later.

Kai twisted his wrist so the brace could return to him.

From release to release his surety with the brace grew…it was almost as familiar as before. Aiming wasn´t something he had much to concentrate on any longer, it was like a reflex, completely subconsciously, like breathing. Firing and catching the brace was pure willpower and muscle motion.

He learned about this weapon far more as a living person as he ever had as a dead person. And sometimes the question arose, why now this weapon was chosen for him. Partially of course because this weapon offered a very demonstrative effect on victims as well as witnesses. It was of course much more difficult to work with this kindof weapon than with the black pack, most assassins were equipped with. Both weapons had the same deadly precision, but the brace of course demanded training and some sort of programming perhaps. Kai didn´t remember any training, but his body acted not at all occasions as if it was run by programming only. Perhaps it had been part of his alteration into an assassin – and fortunately he had no memories about that part…some things were lost in the dark.

The second thought regarding this weapon, was His Divine Shadows sense for sick humor…he surely was satisfied with the thought that he was equipped with an infight as well as a distance weapon…another strike against his people…they once had been brave warriors, but of course they never killed on order and in the way he did. Kai remembered that he was involved in far more infights than any of his other colleagues .

He sighed. At least, those skills were now much more useful than before.

Kai stopped his thoughts about this chapter of his past. He knew that he still hadn´t used the whole potential of the brace, but he was aware that he soon had to proof that he was able to use it.

He felt his skills returning, he discovered more and more facts what he might was able to do with them…he even could feel the spark of life within Xev when he touched her…quickly he suppressed the thought what use it had had before. It was unbelievable how he was able to turn this deadly and bad potential that offered the protoblood, or the insect side, to him into something useful. Nearly darkly he thought, that besides Taleron and Sa´k he may was the most dangerous individual in this universe…with the exception that his potential could be used to stop them.

Kai winced inwardly and jumped off to the last ledge.

Some minutes later they were all standing on the small platform, which was a bit too small. Shereen kept her eyes straight forward, her fingers securely clasped around some rocks in the wall. Only centimeters next to her right foot the ledge ended. Kai shot the brace at one of the rocks that seemed to be solid enough and said to the women: "Hold on tight." Xev smiled and put her arms around his neck. How many times had he saved her in that way from harm? As dangerous these moments may have been, it also had been the few rare moments she was so very close to him. But reality had changed fortunately, the only thing which hadn´t changed were the feelings that arose inside her when she was so close to him. She pressed softly into his familiar body and breathed in deeply. Kai´s gaze scuffed hers shortly and with a faint smile he concentrated back on their last descendant. He offered Shereen his left arm and she also stepped close to him, she put her right arm around his waist, whilst his left arm secured her firmly. He knew that Xev needed no additionally hold. She knew this procedure. "Ready?" he asked. "Yes," came from both and Kai nodded. With almost no effort he made a step back and the three fell into emptiness.

The free fall was so fast and surprising that none of them had time to breath, and it was stopped similar fast. Kai knew when to lock the rope so they don´t hit the ground, he did it at the calculated point and the rope stretched to stop their fall. Kai prevented them from hitting the rocky wall and so they swung only inches above the ground. He abated the rope a bit so they were able to touch the ground with their feet. Then he loosened his iron grip around Shereen and released her. The Arcannea breathed out relieved and made some steps forward. She was more than happy to feel the ground beneath her feet. Xev remained a few seconds longer before she withdrew from him. "Thank you," she whispered, a bit dizzy from the tickling sensation in her tummy. Kai caught his brace and secured it. When he had jumped from the first ledge he had done this for the first time and he couldn´t deny that it felt very strange to fall free.

"You´re welcome," he said with a faint smile. "Well, we reached the bottom," Shereen said and looked around. They landed behind some rocks, which concealed the first buildings of the capital city in front of them as well as them from any curious gazes from the town up here.

About one kilometer bee-line to the left they saw again Talerons palace. Now it was clearly visible that it lay a bit higher than the rest of the city. Their way will lead them there now…

Shereen started to check her weapons and equipment she had secured during their descendent. She also put out her jacket, because it was much warmer down here than up where they came from. With a sigh she eased her muscles. The physical labor was something she had really missed the past months. Well, her work didn´t leave her much spare time to train more than the usual training units they had to attend. Close combat and weapon training. As President it wasn´t something she was forced to do…but she wanted it. A certain event 30 years ago had proofed its necessity to be always prepared to defend oneself.

30 years ago, she wasn´t long in command of the presidency, when a group of religious fanatics tried to kidnap the whole council to use them as pressurizing medium for their purposes. She remembered that she started her career as President at a very young age, something that was seen very controversial among some people and the media too. And maybe this also could have been the reason why this group believed that an unskilled President would agree to any demand they pose.

Shereen knew that one couldn´t please everybody in such a huge Alliance, that some single planetary governments were dispossessed, unseated and replaced by other, non-Alliance friendly governments, and that therefore some conflicts arose, but fortunately this had been the exception the past centuries. Problems caused by groups which were forced together by a certain reason…may it religion or other reasons, had been their most concern. Most of them were homeless, criminals and other fugitives that weren´t able to fit into society. And with some of them the Alliance wasn´t able to talk in a reasonable way. Like this group. They were very aggressive and driven by their strong religious opinions they wanted to spread everywhere. They wanted to free the universe from all "false" prophets because their leader believed he was the only true one. And when they heard from Sha´ras prophetess they wanted to force the government to hand her over to them. Unnecessary to say that Shereen had been the most improper address to kidnap. Like all the other attending council members, she was a very good trained fighter. And the wannabe-terrorists had had very bad cards when they choose this aim for their demand.

Shereen put her hands on her hips and looked at to the town. "How is it possible that such an important political leader is so skilled in navigation and fighting?" she heard Kai asking. Shereen laughed low. Not that she was surprised about this question…she knew that it was time that it arose. "In politics there are also sometimes moments where you have to fight with more than words," she said and turned. Time for some answers she guessed. "To be serious. After and during the insect wars we were ruled by a military regime. It was necessary, no doubt about it, but afterwards… The military was good in planning strategy, fighting for the people and keeping up the order…but to rule a civilian population which was fed up with war, military, propaganda, fighting and death…they hadn´t the necessary methods. We were close to civil war. To cut a long story short…one extreme replaced the other. We got a pure civilian government. No more military, it was as if the people wanted to ban this part of their past out of their mind for some time. For the following peaceful years it was okay…but of course, it didn´t last very long. And fighting political riots and other occasions with words only wasn´t a proper solution. So we had to change this part again.

Several thousand years ago they decided that every member of the council had to go through a military and a civilian career before they were allowed to set up for a seat in the council. A very stony way, which required much responsibility, patience and courage. But only this way it was secured that people who earned a seat in the council by being elected through the Alliance´s citizens…had the necessary mind and endurance to govern such a huge institution like the Alliance.

Equilibrium between civilian responsibility and military know-how for crisis situations were truly necessary. Our council often was attacked by opponents in the beginning until everything got used to this new situation…and believe me, 6000 senators _and_ their bodyguards in one room…that would have been way too strenuous – first of all today.

But it´s despite not easy to travel down the same road. Sharp tongues say that I showed too much patience with some senators in the past… and regarding the Pr´karesh they might be right…we should have intervened much earlier," she said thoughtfully. "But I swerved from the topic. You asked for the reason why I am skilled in fighting and navigating. Well, as I said, all representatives of our council had to go through a military career and I was trained in a fighter squadron, but unlike my colleagues of the current council I had to attend a real fight in the past…but this was before I got the President," she explained.

Kai nodded slowly. Some of the details she had explained them, he already knew from the researches about the Arcannea he had done when they arrived on the planet. "You´re presidency lasts for some centuries now?" Xev asked. "Sure, it is a vocation for lifetime, formally. But this presidency ends if the skills needed for it were about to fade." Shereen answered. "Isn´t that a bit dangerous? I mean, one person for _centuries_?" Xev asked on. "Now, I know what you´re referring to, but in our system it´s not that the president has the main power. Thank you…we have had this too some time ago. No. Our council is elected all five years and it is the central power of our Alliance. Military and Civilians are equally present there. The High Senators, for every chapter of the Alliance one, altogether 12, and I we act as the interface between all the other representatives. We mainly moderate the sessions and we confer with those representatives we are responsible for, meaning for those senators coming from the planets in each sector. Each sector has an equal number of military senators and civilian senators, which were elected from the people there and represent their interests. Minor decisions were discussed among the chapter representatives and the High Senator represents their vote. Important and major things were discussed with the full council. I as the President represent this chapter of the Alliance where the Arcannea system and several others are located but I also have the chairmanship. I have the right for a veto…when it is necessary and we have to find a compromise then. In politics everything is a compromise, and that´s mostly my job…to find a compromise and present it to the council. That´s how our government works, and it works for over 7000 years that way. I think that´s a remarkable time for a democracy." Shereen said not without pride. "The success speaks a clear language," Kai agreed. "Others reached such a unity only with different and less democratic means." "Or try to reach it," she said dryly with a slight nod towards the town. "As long as there are people like Taleron it´s important to demonstrate that there are other ways to rule." Kai said firmly. "By the way Taleron, me thinks we should care about him now," Xev interjected. "Not before dawn," Kai responded by watching the town critically. "We shouldn´t show ourselves too early, as well as our identity. The longer they aren´t aware what we´re up to the better it is to our already current difficult situation." "And the night also provides some advantages," Shereen said smiling and let her silvery eyes glinting in the sunlight. "Oh well, I smell brains at every time," Xev said and grinned broadly. Both women looked at Kai who tilted his head slightly and meant: "If that´s the way it is….I will lean back and trust your guidance completely…." "Oh…that´s the way it´s gonna go?" Xev said indignant. Kai´s corner of the mouth twitched barely visible. He needn´t to talk about _his_ advantages. He was altered into an perfect assassin, not even a mouse was able to sneak up to him. Or an insect he added in thoughts. He doubted that Taleron had stopped his research on the level of the terrorists who attacked them on the station. Sa´k was a proof for it. He somehow knew that Sa´k hadn´t been an ordinary terrorist like the rest they managed to stop and kill. And he was sure that Talerons guards, the palace guards, might be much more effective than those they were confronted with in the past. It was also an obvious reason why Taleron felt safe and wasted no thought about the lack of a planetary defense at the moment. He frightened a bit when he thought about whole troops of the so called human-insect hybrids…what if this was only the beginning of Talerons bright vision of a new population of the DarkZone? Not really a thought that calmed him…but a thought that made him much more certain about the fact that they have to stop him right here and now!

The threesome stayed behind the comfortable masking rocks. They had to wait for dawn, and so they tried to find some peace before they had to go into full action. They sat down somewhere and rested, everyone the way one wanted to.

Xev sat down on a rock and stretched out her legs. She stared through a gap between two huge rocks at the town and let her thoughts run free.

Shereen also sat some meters behind her, but she had closed her eyes and started to meditate.

Kai moved away from them several meters, to a position where he was able to oversee everything and could detect any possible movement towards them.

His gaze shifted towards the sky and he looked at the passing clouds. Kai tried to get some order into his thoughts. He badly needed to think about what might awaited them as soon as they were closing in to Talerons centre of power. Planning strategies was almost senseless. What they were about to do was more an unsighted shot into the dark. A vague hope to stop Taleron and to free Stanley by walking into the lions den on a wing and prayer. But what should they do? They couldn´t plan where no data was available. And they knew that from the beginning.

What he on the other hand didn´t doubt was that Taleron might expect such an action. He had Stan in his claws and with it surely enough information about their identity. Another reason why Kai wanted to stay undiscovered as long as possible. Every moment they drew closer to his palace was precious.

Another fact that had disturbed him first, was the missing of Talerons forces here. He had thought about a trap, but in the meantime he was absolutely sure that the growing resistance of the Arcannea through the new equipped ships, had forced him to send every available ship to the frontline. He wanted to end this conflict…with a fast and final victory. By beating the Arcannea with pure manpower. And he had a good chance in that. Kai knew that the number of modified ships was barely enough to hold the lines. Another time critical fact.

Taleron didn´t count with an Arcannean attack on Pr´karesh…at least not with an attack by forces. Too dexterously he had bound their forces to the defense lines.

And any other threat he was sure he could wipe away with his palace guard. There wasn´t anything wrong in this view…not at the first sight. But maybe he leaned too strongly on this fact that he was safe here. Something Kai counted on. He _hoped_ that Taleron underestimated a threat coming from the Arcannea by only sending three people here. It were always these unexpected small number of people that succeed in changing history. Kai had experienced it in the past.

Weren´t it Stan, Xev and he who had stolen the Lexx, who had killed His Shadow, the LightZone´s history would have gone a complete different way…if the cycle of time had allowed it of course. But he remembered the prophetess´ words all to good. So maybe the chance to save this universe laid again upon a few people and on a small predetermined event. Kai couldn´t deny that the situation felt a bit strange…as if everything that was about to happen here had to happen…

He couldn´t deny that their intervention here on Pr´karesh could end this war at once…by stopping Taleron they could stop his forces, meaning that the Arcannean forces would be able to hold the lines and beat them back. By killing Taleron they would stop the threat of any plans and ideas the biovezir had with the DarkZone. It sounded so simple…but Kai knew that it was a long way to go until they reached this aim.

Their tiny advantage started with the hope that Taleron would underestimate them. Stan may have told him everything, but Stan wasn´t aware about what had happened after he was kidnapped. Kai knew that Taleron wasn´t a fool. The biovezir knew what he was, but his current status quo was that of a mortal Kai. Sure, if he discovered their presence here, and him here, he would ask himself how he could have survived, but nothing would refer to a new change of this status quo…Hopefully Taleron would recognize this first when Kai was about to shoot his brace into his heart.

Were there any other advantages? Shereen maybe. Even if she supported them with more and more interesting details about her past, he still wasn´t sure which role she was about to play here. She seemed to be a well-trained fighter, but there were enough Arcannea who were also as good as she. Why was she going on a mission like that? She may know the planet, but every map could replace that. Personal payoff with Taleron? No, he counted out that. She was far too intelligent, she knew that she would lose any confrontation with him. But what was it then? He already detected that she kept silence about something…but he couldn´t say what it was. He knew that they had the same aim, and that she may tell them as soon as possible…he trusted her and somehow he knew that this was enough. In the end…if he was about to ask himself about the nature of her presence here…maybe Taleron would do the same…and be helpless and confused as he was about this part.

What about Xev? Taleron was well informed about her…so she couldn´t come into play as a huge surprise. But he knew that she had her strong and surprising moments, which can provide some advantages for them as well. And if he was right to think about Talerons tendency to overestimate his own capabilities…then Xev´s skills could be very useful in the end. They had to count on it…they hadn´t many opportunities.

Kai leaned back to find a little rest. He had to be wide-awake every coming moment as soon as they approach the town and the palace. He had to react and be prepared to everything that showed up. The times without the need of sleep, eat and rest were long gone. And to be honest…he wasn´t sad about it. It always reminded him to be alive and a human being. He relaxed his muscles and only the not so human part of him stayed wide-awake to find out how the land lies.

Unintentionally a song came into his mind…something he had heard and sung 4000 years ago…

"If this should be our final stand…."

Well he hoped that this wasn´t the case…but he felt a bit like it….

Xev´s thoughts were circling around their soon walk into the lion´s den. They were already gone through many hairy situations, but doing this as a part of a _plan_, this was something completely new to her. She should be nervous, but surprisingly she wasn´t. The calm before the storm. she thought. A flurry drove through her blonde hair and Xev raised her gaze into the sky. A few clouds were passing by, but it didn´t look as if there would be some rain soon. But the sky went darker the minute, the sun already had vanished behind the mountains top. Dawn was settling in and Xev expected that in an hour they would be on their way again.

Xev looked around for her comrades and discovered them sitting silently close by. Her gaze shifted to Kai, who sat several meters behind her and was also watching the sky deep in thoughts. Only from time to time his gaze shifted back to their environment to ensure that no threat was closing in. The upcoming wind let his strand of hair dancing softly and Xev smiled when she made this snapshot. He came across as if he was a statue formed by an artist. His dark clad figure nearly melted with the dark ground, and with his nearly deadpan features and the half lidded eyes he reminded her more to the dead Kai than ever. It was the same position he always had adopted when he had concentrated on something. Certain habits never change. she thought. Strange enough that the dead had habits….but she wasn´t surprised, since his sudden confession on Sha´ra, she knew that the dead often had acted against what they wanted to make others believe they would never do. The dead don´t do…but sometimes they did. There were many things about him, which maybe are forever mysterious and secret to her, but sometimes she asked herself if he was capable about everything that had happened in his past. Maybe there were things he didn´t want to know or which he wasn´t aware of. Anyhow he had numerous memories which mostly weren´t his own. She couldn´t count out that it maybe was often hard enough for him to stay connected with his own memories, his personal past. He didn´t talk much about it, only some bits and pieces from time to time. But besides what she knew from the theater, she knew so less about his former life, so less about the life he once had led.

But was it so important? She wasn´t sure. A part of her was happy with the current circumstances, but the curious part of her wanted to know more. His liveliness gave her a new sight on this part of his history. Things she was able to connect with the theatre play about his past. She got a glimpse at this time what kind of man he had been, and it was wonderful to her to see several impressions confirmed.

There was a passion radiating from him, whether he was fighting or loving, it was absolutely amazing. She never had experienced it elsewhere. BrunnenG. she thought. Or simply the fact that Kai was one of those few really amazing men? A born warrior and leader. Maybe. He had this strength, she could see and feel it, and others also reacted with this natural respect when he appeared.

Xev got to her feet and walked over to him. A smile appeared on her face when she heard his pleasant baritone voice singing a well-known song. She stopped at his side and sat down. For a split second she could see his body tensing when she closed in, but he registered very fast that it was her and he relaxed again. He finished the song and opened his hazel eyes completely to look at her. Xev drew a bit closer and put her arm around his waist. She smiled and pointed with her chin at the town. "Still everything quiet?" she asked. Kai watched her a few seconds longer, then his gaze followed hers and he slowly nodded. "I haven´t noticed someone else yet." Xev sighed low. Good news or not…well. Whatever awaited them behind the firsts houses, they would now know it in a short while. A few minutes silence arouse, then Xev asked: "Kai?" He looked back at her and waited for her question. "Do you think….that Stan is….still alive?" she wanted to know.

Kai hesitated. He considered all probabilities – but in the end he didn´t find a satisfying answer. "I-I don´t know," he finally said. Of course, he hoped that the key secured Stan´s surviving, but Taleron could have found out about the transferability of the key. "And what does your gut feeling say?" Xev asked on with a questioning expression. This time he hesitated much longer to answer. "I…I don´t know. I cannot answer this question properly Xev," he said in the end after a fruitless fight with his innermost. Xev noticed the harrowed expression and slapped herself imaginary in the face. It was more than obvious that she had hit one of his strongest deficits concerning his emotional world. She knew that he was accustomed to his emotions but still far away from the point where he was able to rely on emotional considerations.

"What do _you_ think?" she heard him ask. Xev looked into his hazel eyes. "He´s alive," she said surprisingly determine. It astonished herself a bit. Was she that sure? She must be… "Then we should trust your gut feeling, Xev," he said softly, grateful that she had finally answered this difficult question on her own. She nodded and smiled and Kai looked back to the town. Dawn had almost reached its climax and he hadn´t noticed someone nearby so far. Well, the way they chose to leave the plateau wasn´t the first choice to climb up…

He thought about their ships above, and it became again clear to him that they really hadn´t taken care to hide them from Taleron. He didn´t doubt that Taleron would take them once he found them, they offered in the end a curious technology…and the question who it was that visited his planet. Which led him to another question. Was this in the end a part of an official not existing plan Shereen had? Nevertheless after their careful approximation to Pr´karesh, the obviousness of their landing had already made him wonder. As if Shereen wanted Taleron to know that they are here. But what advantage could this imply? Taleron may could confiscate the ships and take them to his palace…not a bad thing if they succeed, it would spare them the way back. But this of course wasn´t surely the reason or idea behind it.

He didn´t doubt that Shereen also had her very own interests on this mission. He couldn´t blame her for it. The hope to stop Taleron, maybe by killing him, would surely not only mean that Stan could be freed, no, the end of Taleron would mean that the Pr´karesh offensive would break up. Taleron was their leader, their strategist…the mind behind all this. His death would imply the same like His Shadows death… without this leader they were helpless and disorganized.

Kai knew that it would be his task, his part - to stop Taleron. Not only because the prophecy pointed so clearly towards this event. No, he had also his own reasons.

Taleron once escaped him, and he didn´t want it to happen again. Too much calamity was caused by this incident so far. It was important to him to end Talerons deeds, it was unfair that so many innocent people had to suffer death by his hands and such a dangerous person who had secured His Divine Shadows reign and pushed the tools to secure it had been able to live on.

Kai deeply believed that he still owed this universe something, and Talerons death was something very high on top of this list. If he was forced to kill again, it should be someone who deserved it.

Kai was aware of the necessity to fight and kill to end this situation. There was no other way. To be a warrior meant to live with killing and death, death of friends and foes. Something that should have been clear to him from the beginning. He hadn´t decided different when he led the attack against His Shadow 6000 years ago. He had been ready to die…and to kill, even if he knew that he couldn´t save his own people. But for the sake of the LightZone he and his friends had tried.

And now, 6000 years later, why should he decide different? He nearly had, but it was just in time that some things had become clear to him, painfully clear. But he knew that he would never act different. It was in his nature. He was a warrior, a leader, once and for all times.

More purposeful he pressed his lips together. He had decided correctly. He had to put a final stroke under the chapter Taleron, here and now…even if he had to sacrifice his life again. Rather him than billions of innocent people. Yes, he was as sure as he had been once, he would fight again…and this time he knew that he had far better resources to win this fight.

"Everything alright, darun?" he heard Xev asking. Kai turned his head and looked at her.

The voice, the question….so similar…for a moment the timelines seemed to blur, he could have sworn that he saw her sitting there for a second. He shook the picture off. This wasn´t possible, he knew that. But sometimes Xev reminded him very much to his first love. But there were also so many differences. But this wasn´t important. They were here, together, if it was coincidence or fate….it didn´t matter.

He raised his hand and touched her cheek lightly. "Yes, I just have considered some things," he answered. Xev smiled…she had observed some reactions. She didn´t know what exactly he had thought of, but what pleased her much, was the fact of his strong new firmness. It was indescribable what it meant to her. She knew how breakable he was on the inside, but it was a relief that this strong part now won the upper hand. "And…Xev," he continued. "We will free Stan, I promise!" he said with a strong voice and Xev heard the firm will behind it. "I know!" she replied smiling. Kai stood up and his gaze shifted over to the city. He fixed it firmly. "Let us reunite our family!" he added.

The last light of day flashed above the mountains, fought desperately against the all-consuming darkness of the breaking night.

Xev´s gaze followed his features. Oh yes…now she could see it clearly…he had changed a lot the past hours. His attitude radiated a lot of firmness and strength…so much more than before. How close was this to the BrunnenG warrior who fought against His Shadow so bravely?

She was sure: very close. Time had left its traces. He had gone through a lot of pain and misery, had have to fight so many battles on a mental battlefield. But she was sure that he also ladled much strength from these victorious battles now. Battles…not the war. She knew that in future they would still have much to do on this topic…not to mention the fact that everything they were about to go through from now on wasn´t really planned. But she trusted in their success…and she trusted him that he would make it! Slowly she stood up too. She put her hands on his shoulders and Kai turned at her. She looked deeply into his eyes, which glinted with the last fading daylight. "Whatever happens…I believe in you and I trust you!" she said, not evading his intense gaze. "Thank you," he said after a moment. Xev smiled, she would follow Kai everywhere, even to hell if necessary. "Two hearts are as one heart," she said low. Kai raised his brows. "We´re together at this, we started it together and we´re going to end this together," she added. A light smile appeared on his lips, Xev bent forward and used the opportunity for a soft kiss. Maybe the last opportunity….

The short moment was interrupted when something evoke Kai´s attention.

He broke their intimate contact, shoved her back a bit and tilted his head in concentration.

"How many?" he asked Shereen, who showed up next to them from one second to the next. "10, lightly armed. A reconnaissance troop I would say." She already had her weapon in her hand and unlocked it. It was a standard-laser-weapon. "3 against 10, sounds like a fair fight," laughed Xev. Kai laid his left hand on his right wrist and unlocked the brace. "We should defang them, without attracting attention. We need every minute to near the palace unrecognized," he punctuated. Both women nodded. "They´re coming this way, patrolling close along the town boundary." Shereen said and pointed to their left side.

Soundless like a shadow Kai left the cover of the rocks. They silently moved closer towards the city, the idea was to use the moment of surprise to fire at them with a full broadside.

And exactly this happened. The patrol was more than surprised about the attack at them. Like Kai had already guessed, they were really modified soldiers, but it didn´t spare them the surprise moment. They recovered much quicker than any other troop would have, but despite it was senseless. Half of them were dead on the ground before any of them could detect where the attack came from. From this point on, it was pure luck that the three were able to hold their position, and it was annoying that in the end one member of the patrol was able to escape.

"Damn," Shereen cursed and started to collect the weapons lying around. Kai looked towards the city, the direction the man had fled to, without speaking a word. It was clear that there was much less time left to them from now on.

Xev rummaged the dead bodies for something useful and stumbled over a strange device one of the men had dropped during the fight. It was similar to a video camera, and she discovered quickly that it displayed something concerning for them. "It seems that this patrol has split up not long ago, a part of it is on the way to our ships," she said when she had studied the records. Shereen was immediately behind her and looked over her shoulder. "Shit," was her commentary about it. "Then Taleron knows very soon about our presence…," "And the escapee can confirm that we are very close to the city too," Xev added. "We should have been more careful," Shereen nodded.

Kai noticed their exchange of thoughts, but some other thoughts were already coming into his mind. He looked down to the dead men and then up to the city in front of them. Potentially they had diminished or lost their advantage, but this wasn´t of concern at the moment, they need to get to the palace first. "Let us go. At the moment it´s not that important. We will see with what he comes up soon, we have to reach the palace first…I doubt that he will send out more patrols, risking to lose them." Kai said and started to move on. Both women shrunk their shoulders and Shereen gave Xev another weapon with ammo. She had already put a second one into her belt. Kai rejected to take one, he knew that he was much more efficient with his brace.

Together they vanished seconds later between the first buildings of the capital city. Only moments before the last ray of daylight lapsed into an all-consuming darkness.


	33. What have they in mind?

Chapter 32

**What have they in mind?**

His concentration was distracted by the aerial surveillance.

Not that it was his major task to survey the planetary airspace, but the officer controlling it, called his attention to it. Not very amused by this disturbance of his major task, he shoved the nervous man aside to take a look at the screen.

The aerial surveillance registered three not accordingly announced ships, which entered their airspace.

Taleron furrowed his brows and deleted the last reports from the front line out of his thoughts for a while. Not that there were many news since he had ordered his complete fleet to the front line. It would take time until his reinforces reach it, but it annoyed him that with the obviously new technology, the Arcannea were able to withstand his rush. It was an advantage, but not for long. Soon he would have twice as much ships at the front line than before, and the Arcannea will be hopelessly in an inferior position. And of course…he now was in charge of the mightiest weapon in the two universes! As soon as Sa´k was aboard the Lexx, the Arcannea will have other problems than defending the front line…they will be very surprised about the sudden end of this war. A very satisfying progress – for him.

He concentrated closer on the screen where the three ships now were displayed after the landing on the tableland above the city. He zoomed in and took a closer look at them. A bit surprised he noticed the familiar shape of the ships – he had seen them before, somewhere….

They were clearly not Arcannean origin, in fact, they appeared more insect-shaped.

The Cluster! He had seen it on the Cluster, well, he never had seen it complete and able to fly. He knew that Brizon had rebuilt such a ship after the information he had gathered from the remains of one of it, but also, this one he never saw it in reality. And the last intact ones besides Brizons ship, were destroyed when those foolish BrunnenG had attacked His Divine Shadow to defend their home. He knew this not only from the history data archives, no, he had studied remains of one of these ships and laid the basics for his research with it.

So where did these ships come from? Was it possible that the Arcannea in the end were still in possession of technology from the insect wars? Maybe not officially, but this doesn´t mean that it was impossible. He couldn´t imagine where from such ships otherwise were. Besides him and the Arcannea no one had the knowledge to build insect ships and weapons.

"Are this the only registered approaches?" he asked the officer. "Yes, biovesir. No other ships were discovered besides these three. A patrol has already reached them to detect who violated our sovereign territory!" Taleron stared onto the screen showing the rough figures of the ships. If they were Arcannea…what are they up to? In a threesome? He never excluded that a rescue team for Stan might appear here, he was an important person, he was the key to the Lexx and for that very important to the Arcannea. But for a rescue team it was a very low and bad amount of people. "And what did our patrol learn when they reached it?" He hissed at the officer. "T-the patrol has reported that they hadn´t discovered any sign of the crew. They must have continued on foot." Taleron rolled his eyes. "Of course they have continued on foot, fools, what else…!" He was interrupted by an incoming message.

"Commander Voran to Taleron!" "I hope it is really urgent," Taleron growled threatingly, he hated to be interrupted. The officer confirmed the incoming message and Voran was able to speak. He got nervous, because the reason he had to call wasn´t a good circumstance. "Biovesir, we had a few problems out there." "What do you mean with problems?" Taleron bellowed. "Ahem, it seems that one of our patrol was, well, extinguished!" "Please what?" Taleron asked, his face got dark. "All except of one were killed," Voran repeated, more nervous now.

"And what did the escapee, or survivor, has for an excuse?" Taleron asked on. "He said, well, it was an ambush. They were totally surprised by the attack. He told the truth, my biovesir, he was able to record the ambush partially." Voran reported. Taleron baled his hands to fists. "Good, then transmit them to us, I want to see them!" "Yes, at once, biovesir!" Voran confirmed, relieved that he was able to end the transmission. Taleron leaned back and waited for the incoming data. Some records…at least something. He didn´t doubt that the arrival of the ships had to do something with it.

"The records aren´t very good, biovesir, the lighting conditions weren´t very good at this time, it´s the best quality I am able to extract," the officer said excusing. "Yeah, yeah, tell Voran that he should fetch the ships and take them here," Taleron waved impatiently and the officer hurried to do as demanded. Taleron ignored everyone else now and concentrated on the records.

The officer was right, the quality was really bad. Between all the flashes, obviously from the laser weapons, he could only detect one or two more or less clear pictures. He froze them and took a closer look at them.

The both women he could see quite well. The one in front was facing towards him, and he raised his brows in surprise when he recognized her. The president of the Arcannea in person!? Admitted, this was now a real strange thing. But no doubt, it was her.

The second person he never had seen on pictures or personally before, but Stan´s very accurate description told him that it only could be the loveslave, whose other half was accidentally a clusterlizard. On the second picture he was able to detect the third person…but mostly his men hid him. Potentially it was the other crewmember of the Lexx. The assassin who once had been sent after him. But he couldn´t imagine that. According to Stan and to Sa´k, he had been injured deadly, with Sa´ks insect weapon…absolutely deadly to any human. He just couldn´t imagine that Kai could have survived this attack. The Arcannea weren´t behind the times with their medical development, but to create an antidote to an insect weapon was more than simple medical research. But maybe they found a way…who knows…a grin appeared on Talerons face…well, wouldn´t be the worst development…if…there was a new chance to get one of his biggest wishes fulfilled…to finally kill this BrunnenG! He stopped this train of thoughts…nothing was proofed and before he wasted his energy on this plausibility, he had to do much more important things first.

For example concentrating on the question why Shereen, the President of the Alliance was in person here. Of course, Stan was important to the Arcannea for the obvious reason, but hadn´t she enough people to go to Pr´karesh? The reason why Xev was here, was clear. But he neither could see any sense in Shereens presence nor in the presence of this threesome. What does this mean? What does she, or they have in mind? They must know that it was senseless to free Stan, not here on Pr´karesh, where so many guards and so many uncertainties were waiting for them.

Why the President? Their attack didn´t look like a plea for negotiation. He had to admit that he was a bit confused, no not worried, but confused. He had to know the reason why they were here. He had to get hold of them…

Taleron opened the communication channel.

"Voran!" he bellowed. "Yes biovesir?" "I want you to trace those three, but stay away from them. I want to know what they have in mind, why they are here. I don´t doubt that they want to enter the palace…so that´s the place where _our_ ambush awaits them! Catch them, unharmed! Understood?" Voran nodded with big eyes. "And…I don´t want them to be suspicious, so let them pass, but let our patrols resist as authentic as possible…they should believe that we´re unprovided…," "Yes biovesir, but this may result in the loss of a few guards," he said. "Where´s the problem? This three are more important than some guards which are always replaceable. And now do as I told you!" Taleron growled. "As you like, biovesir!" Voran agreed. Taleron nodded and closed the channel.

His gaze shifted back to the photo. What have they in mind? Desperate or just foolish? Okay, desperate people were incalculable, he knew this crazy story of the last resistance of this half a dozen BrunnenG 6000 years ago. But they failed…well, maybe history repeats itself over and over again, only in different varieties. Maybe this was a new.

If the third person was really this Kai, he didn´t put something like that past him, it would bear a striking similarity to his past behavior.

He tried to take another closer look on the photo, but he really couldn´t see more than before. He was curious if it really was the BrunnenG. The more he thought about this possibility the more he wanted to get sure. If he, somehow had survived, he direly wanted to know how it was possible that Kai was able to regain his life. Stanleys very diffuse explanation wasn´t very satisfying to him…a virus! He never heard that one of His Divine Shadows assassins had ever regained his life. They sometimes got out of control, malfunctioned or just stopped to function…but they never got alive again. And of all things Kai…who counted as the most perfect and most effective among them. Oh yes…this divine assassin was really the best he had ever heard of…well, no wonder, when he took a look at his career. Talerons lips curled into a cruel smile…he never saw Kai in action besides the situation when he was sent after him, but he knew a lot more about this special divine assassin as most of other biovesirs and other people did. He had his secrets… and one of these secrets was a complete video collection about certain things that went on in several biovesir´s laboratories on the Cluster. Not only his superior knowledge about weapons allowed him to hold his position for such a long time. No, it was always useful to know what was going on around. Information was always useful. And many vids held wonderful information about technical details, also a lot about the construction of the divine assassins…if only Brizon knew about the fact that this information had finally got into his hands…hah! And all those things had proved to be so useful for his own installation of power here in the DarkZone.

But the technical information hadn´t been what made him suddenly feel so very excited. Among all those videos was one he had a special interest in, not only a special interest, no – this video was such a delayed gratification for all he had to go through when he had to flee from the Cluster, and flee from the divine assassin Kai…

He unintentionally asked himself, if Kai had knowledge about the events recorded on this video. Well Tweedle had told him, that Kai was very much aware about what he had been, but in which details…this maybe was something only this man knew. If there was something he really wanted to know next to the reason about their presence here, than this. And who knows…maybe one part of this would help him to get to the other. If this man was really Kai…

Taleron left the control room quickly to get to his private rooms. He suddenly got the urge to watch this special video again.


	34. Imprisoned

Chapter 33

**Imprisoned**

The threesome weren´t confronted with resistance, when they walked through the empty streets of the capital city. Despite the darkness they used every possible cover to approach the area where Talerons palace was. Much debris and other signs of decay lay on the streets and here and there they had to climb over remains of buildings that simply had collapsed over time.

Xev sometimes didn´t want to know where the bones between all those decay came from…it scared her and made her shiver a bit. Unintentionally she moved a bit closer to Kai…

Suddenly Shereen, who lead the way, stopped and raised her head into the dark sky. Kai too stopped immediately; he also had heard this sound. "What?" asked Xev. "I guess, Taleron had used the opportunity to fetch our ships," Shereen said dryly. And really. The noise swell and Xev could hear it as well. Seconds later their three ships boomed through the air not far away from them. "Wonderful…," Xev mumbled. "We have the same way…spares us the way back," Shereen said ironically. "Hrmpf," the love-slave made, "I bet that Taleron knows very well now what we´re up to. Seems that our escapee made it back very fast…." "They have communication-systems, Xev. Besides, that´s what I counted on," Shereen explained and vanished into the shadows of a front door. Kai and Xev followed suit. "You counted on what?" Xev asked irritated. She thought all the time that it was necessary to stay as long as possible undiscovered. Kai leaned on the wall and listened quietly to their conversation, not a bit surprised about Shereens statement.

"I wanted Taleron to know about us from the beginning…but I think the empty space around Pr´karesh made me think what had happened here first…I wasn´t sure what to do, so I waited for the right point in time, until I got more knowledge about the situation on Pr´karesh."

"Why giving up this advantage?" Xev asked stunned. Shereen looked at her with a slight smile. "My original plan looked a bit different and dependent on an abdication of this advantage," she answered. Kai looked at her through the darkness. "The very evidently landing maneuver should draw Talerons attention to us, and with a patrol he should confirm our identity…you ensured this…,"he said. "…with the escapee, yes. I hoped that a patrol would come close to us, and the witness was perfect for a secure report to Taleron." Shereen continued, she wasn´t surprised that Kai already had knowledge about that. Very few escaped his trained view.

"Why haven´t you told us that you´ve a plan?" Xev asked. "I wasn´t sure that it _would_ work," Shereen said honestly and gritted her teeth.

Xev moaned. "Well, but the next time it would be nice to get knowledge about plans _before_ we meet any of Talerons troops or even himself!"

"As I said…I wasn´t sure that it would work, too many uncertainties in this plan yould have ruined it, that´s the reason I didn´t tell you about it. I´m sorry for that, but the only thing that is important at the moment is that the plan seems to work. The situation shows me clearly that we have aroused Talerons interest. He surely asks himself what we three have in mind. What are

three people as a rescue unit doing on his heavily secured planet? Why is the _President _of the Arcannea here?" She stopped for a second. Kai just glared at her with interest and the demand to explain herself. He surely knew already a lot of her intention, for he was able to think in the most weirdest and most indirect ways, but despite he had to be sure, and not very amused about the fact that she hadn´t told anything about it before.

She sighed inwardly. Well, better now than too late. She was a strong person, but Kai´s intense gaze made her feel a bit uncertain sometimes. And he only wanted an explanation! How would he look at someone if he were really angry or fighting?

"Would you have come here alone, I´m sure Taleron would have fought you and maybe killed you…but my presence here is confusing him. Maybe he thinks that we have more in mind than a simple, and in his opinion senseless, rescuing plan. Why should the President of the Arcannea come here without troops, only with Stan´s crew? This will cause many questions, and before he risks that we get killed by his patrols, and his questions stay unanswered, he will wait for a chance to imprison us, so he can sate his curiosity. There´s no tactically simpler plan than to get close to his palace or inside his palace without risking our lives," she said.

"So you have come with us to play the bait?" Xev asked unbelievingly. Shereen shrunk her shoulders. "That was foolish and dangerous," Kai said, shaking his head slightly. "Maybe. But we owe you something. You got involved in this conflict, and so it is also our fault that Stan was kidnapped. Also you risked your life for us, you nearly lost it. These are deeds we will never able to repay, so this is one of the smallest things I personally can do to show our gratitude," Shereen explained. "Your actions pay homage to you and your people, Shereen, but…," "…no buts. I know exactly what I am doing and what I engaged with. I would lie if I don´t admit that we Arcannea have no interests in seeing Taleron defeated…and that´s what I am here for. That´s my agenda. We have the same interests and we can help each other to reach this aim. I told you before that I am a trained soldier and able to defend myself…not only by ambushing a patrol!" She pointed backwards.

"We may not have a surprise moment by keeping our identity a secret, but what does Taleron really know about us? He doesn´t know this part about me, he doesn´t know anything about the fact that Kai is again the same dangerous opponent than 4000 years ago," the Arcannea said determined.

Xev looked from Shereen to Kai: "Undoubtedly an advantage, but we´re still not in the palace!" Shereen nodded: "Right. But I don´t expect many patrols on the way there. Taleron wants us to get inside the palace as fast as possible, and of course, unharmed." "There will be guards, but barely enough to make us believe that he hadn´t expect us," Kai added. "Until we walk into the trap," Shereen said. "Into the palace," Xev sighed. Kai looked at her. "Then he is sure that he is in the position to take a hold on us…" "We should let him imprison us?" Xev asked a bit startled. Shereen smiled: "Yes. I am convinced that this is the easiest way to get to Taleron. Let us be honest…us three against Talerons whole palace guard? I guess even with my secretive side, with Kai´s skills, your clusterlizard-part…we won´t get far, none of us is immortal." Xev sighed. "There are no alternatives, aren´t they?" Kai looked outside on the dark street for a moment, then he simply replied: "No." Xev sat down on a part of the destroyed wall, her head in her hands. She hated this word. No. How many times he had said that in this manner the past years they had spent together. No alternatives. "Okay, assumed it works that way…what about the part after that. How do we free ourselves?" Kai looked at Shereen than at Xev, a slight smile shone on his lips. "I think we will find a way as soon as we need. Remember that Stan has done the same once." Xev glared at him. They will find a way…sure, they will get imprisoned without the idea how to get out of it after that. Wonderful plan. Yes, the Sub Nebula Pirates Feppo and Smoor once imprisoned Stan, but he had a plan _before_ he had turned over himself at them. "We´ll come up with something…," she echoed. "Well, what should we do otherwise….let´s hope that we get out of this whole affair with a low number of bruises _and_ _with_ Stan!" Kai shook his head slightly. He doubted that this would end without bruises, but the way to destroy something from the inside was far easier than running against the walls from the outside, better risking some bruises than a bloody nose. Shereen was right. As long as Taleron wanted to know what they´re up to, they had an advantage. They only had to uphold this bluff as long as possible.

Shereen suddenly interrupted his train of thought with a quick gesture. She laid her fingers on her lips and signified them to stay quiet. Kai tilted his head and listened carefully. He heard them way before Xev. A patrol, five men he heard Shereens telepathic voice. Xev opened her mouth to respond, but quickly she registered that Shereen hadn´t spoken this words.

Without a word, they crept closer to the street to ambush this patrol.

The patrol walked snappy through the streets of their area. Of course, they hadn´t asked a question why by all means only five were disposed per unit. Why should they? They felt strong, they were told that they were strong, undefeatable. And of course, all other parts of their brain those not necessary for this task, were very much undeveloped. They were trained on receiving orders, without questioning. Almost like the divine assassins. But well, Taleron hadn´t reached this level yet of course. His aim was a different one. And of course not all of his actual guards were the newest generation. These five were all of his first generation of human-insect hybrids. They were perfect for direct confrontations, but their very limited brains were not in the situation to handle surprising ambushes. They didn´t know what hit them so suddenly on these empty streets.

Shereen and Xev shot three of them down with their weapons from the entrance they had waited in, Kai´s brace killed two guards at once by cutting their hearts in two. He secured his weapon when it returned to him. "Accurate work!" Shereen murmured when they pulled the corpses into the decayed house, where they had talked to each other the past minutes.

"I think I understand much better the minute why the assassins of His Divine Shadow were so effective. Laser weapons aren´t better than the weapon you carry!" Shereen stated. "Not all assassins were equipped with such a weapon," Kai said. Shereen raised her brows inquiring. "His Divine Shadow had equipped only a fistful of us…them, with such weapons. They have the advantage to be useful in infighting as well as distance fight. And most of us…most of the assassins weren´t infighter," Kai explained shortly. "Oh, okay," Shereen said, her gaze followed the shadowy figure of Kai outside.

He didn´t feel good when he talked about this part. Us - them…he now is confronted with the similarity to what he had been. She could feel the inner tension about that, the inner confusion, but she also felt his firmness regarding this new life and the part what he had to do with this new abilities. There was a lot more in connection to it…she felt it, but she couldn´t reveal it. Well, it wasn´t necessary, she didn´t want to spy someone like Kai out. This wasn´t the purpose of her skills…it was enough to know that he was on their side and that his personality was surprising stable, thinking of what he had gone through…. No question, he really was a strong person…

Seconds later they were out on the street again, ready for their simple plan that so much depended on. With a last long at each other they walked down the street, one turn, then another one, they reached the main street, which lead automatically straight to the huge building of the palace.

They saw it emerging out of the darkness. A huge building, old, only harmed little compared to the decay around it.

Like Shereen already guessed right, not a single guard or patrol stopped them. They reached the steps leading up to the bright-lit entrance without resistance. And they spotted only one guard next to the door and two a few steps beneath. Almost bored they kept an eye on their surroundings. Kai didn´t hesitate long, he walked up the steps, carefully avoiding the all too bright light, and sneaked up behind the one next to the door and held his brace threatening against his throat. Shereen and Xev silently killed the other two guards.

Kai´s voice was almost emotionless when he posed his questions: "Where´s Taleron?" The guards´ eyes widened and he started to struggle against the iron grip of the dark man. He was surprised that it ended with no success.

Kai held him without problems, but he felt that any ordinary human would have had his problems with the increased strength of this individual. "Krkkk….don´t know," "Stanley Tweedle?" Kai asked on. Bit by bit the guard seemed to loose his consciousness, the question was, was it because of fear or maybe because Kai squeezed a bit too tight? Kai loosened his grip a bit, to give the man the necessary breath to answer his questions. He really needed to get accustomed to this new strength…

"I don´t think that I would tell you, even if I know the answer," the guard said with a sudden attack of courage. So far the assumption about fear…Kai drew the man with him and whirled him around, pressed him against one of the pillars, which carried the roof in front of the building. With a real menacing gaze he fixed the guard…no more words escaped the guards´ mouth when he saw this icy cold gaze. "If you knew it, you _would_ tell me, believe me!" Kai prod him abruptly into action and the guard fell down the broad stairs. Xev heard clearly some breaking bones, when the guards´ body passed them down, whilst they made their way up to the door.

Insect-human hybrids or not, they were still vulnerable. Xev sighed inwardly. She had hoped that there was never the need to kill in her life, but so many things had happened that this remained wishful thinking.

"Let us go inside," Shereen said, surveying their environment, no other guards were visible. "Don´t let us retard the inevitable." Kai nodded and moved forward. The huge door wasn´t a barrier…it was open. "Even now the biggest fool would understand that here's something wrong!" Shereen murmured. Carefully they entered the huge oval entry hall behind the door.

They directly look up to the gallery, which ran one level higher round the edge of the hall.

Between two or three stairs, which lead up to that level, rich ornamented pillars carried the gallery level.

No doubt that this hall once must have been very beautiful. Even now, in its partially decayed condition it was still impressing. Beneath the gallery level, a hallway surrounded the huge place, the small hip-high walls running from pillar to pillar defined this hallway from the actual hall room. On several platforms along the wall of the hallway, which started at their left and right, were old stone figures. Kai detected several doors and gangways leading away from this outer hallway to other parts of the palace. It was clear that they had to use one of them, if they want to enter deeper into this building.

They really hadn´t entered the actual hall when suddenly something showed up on the gallery and only milliseconds later they were covered with laser-fire. All three dived into the left hallway and covered behind the low wall between the first pillars. Xev cursed and retracted her head when one of the stone figurines behind her exploded into millions of pieces. Smithereens and chunks rained down onto her. The guards on the gallery didn´t stay the only ones. Suddenly more guards entered the hall from outside and cut their escape route in any direction. The three acted quickly and ran further down the left gangway, followed by more shots from above and right. But they detected very fast that in front of them several guards waited too. This way was as well closed for them.

It seemed as if Taleron showed suddenly more interest in not making it all to easy for them, Kai assessed and looked around for a way out the line of fire. Both women had started to fire at the numerous guards around them, trying to keep them away so Kai was able to develop a plan. "Kai, I really don´t want to push, but it would be fantastic if you come up with something _soon_!" Xev said a bit stressed between two shots. Kai risked a quick gaze over to the opponent side, where he detected much less guards close by. He could also see a door there…the only one not guarded in this whole hall. To say it in short words: The only way left open to them and surely the trap they have to step in…he winced back when sharp pain distracted his attention. One of the laser beams had grazed his upper arm. The wound healed at once and the burning stopped. It was really about time to get out of here, before any one of them was hurt seriously. He shouted at them: "We have to get over there, to the other side, it´s the only unprotected door in here." Shereen growled: "Looks really as if someone wants us to take this door and no other else…regarding the array of soldiers here!" Kai nodded…every door and gangway was occupied with soldiers now…he looked up to the roof and for a way to fasten his brace…there was only one way to cross the distance in a fast kind. "Come on!" he called upon the women and lifted his arm with the brace to aim at one of the ceiling joists across the room. He jumped over the small wall whilst both women fired like hell to protect themselves. Kai shot the brace into the air and shouted at the women to hold on tight! Shereen and Xev also jumped over the small wall under heavy fire and embraced Kais body.

Only a brief moment later all three swung across the hall straight towards the opposite. Kai directed them pinpoint over the wall behind the opposite gangway. Fortunately the guards on the gallery were too surprised to find a proper reaction. With a heavy blow from the collision, the door opened and they slid into total darkness. Xev cried out startled when she hit the floor and bumped into something hard. "What the…!" Shereen cursed and held her head. She also hadn´t been able to stop her slide in time, instead she also collided with the wall inside this room. Kai had landed in the middle of the dark room and secured his brace. Fortunately he had managed to land properly, otherwise he would have had some problems to get his brace back, because the door had shut behind them with the same heavy blow it had been opened by them. A wonder that it hadn´t broken. "Where are we?" Xev asked into the darkness. Nothing but the clicking of Kai´s brace and Shereens mumbling was audible. "Could be a dark storage room as well as anything else…I don´t see a second door," Shereen said and got to her feet to look around. At least she was able to _see_ something in this darkness. She helped Xev to her feet and watched Kai examining the walls. "This is not a storage room," he said. "I can´t see a thing…," Xev said. "Stop….have you heard that too?" She laid her head to one side and listened attentively. "Metal on metal," Kai turned around and looked through the darkness at Xev. For him it was as well no problem to see in the dark. Shereen shrunk her shoulders and examined the walls once again, when Kai felt an impalpable vibration beneath his feet. He pulled the Arcannea away from the wall. "It´s an elevator," he said. Just the next second they all felt a heavy prickling in their stomachs when the elevator started to descend. The fall only took seconds.

"I dare not to ask where we are now!" Xev said sarcastically. "Down!" was Kai´s dry answer. He could see a similar door like the one they had entered this elevator, but somehow he knew that it wouldn´t be opened by them first…

A moment later his forethought was fulfilled. Glistening light filled the room and blinded them. Kai covered his eyes with his arm, but as well as both women he couldn´t do anything against this short blinding. At the same time he heard a fizzling and the spreading smell give away that it was an anesthesia gas…his ability to analyze those components with his new, or better old, skills proved that seconds later. Caught in the trap. he thought nearly amused. But he felt that even he was helpless in this situation. It was the easiest part of their plan…now they were here, in Talerons palace, in his sways…the rest would be fate.

He saw vaguely how Shereen and Xev lost their consciousness and was aware that the gas wouldn´t have the same impact on him…but this was something the enemy wasn´t allowed to know! He felt a bit tired, but not enough to make him completely helpless, despite he let himself fall down to the floor and simulated unconsciousness.

As soon as the gas had disappeared, some guards entered and pulled them out of the elevator. They were transported down the corridor. Kai had to rely on his hearing to get a vague imagination where they were taken.

The hollow clang of the steps when they were dragged through the corridor, then the rattling of a grid - a stop, a second rattling with a longer stop. He heard the guards talking to each other and extracted that Shereen and Xev were thrown into a cell. Then someone grabbed his arms roughly again and dragged him down the corridor. After some turns and twists, another grid was opened and he felt himself brutally thrown onto a table. The guards didn´t talk much, but they fastened his limbs onto the table with accurateness. After he heard the grid closing, silence fell around and he risked opening his eyes again. He was indeed tied onto a table and not really able to move much. He tried to look around as far as possible. The cell was closed with an iron door that looked very massive. The cell was big enough to held several devices, devices with a distinct function…recorders and devices of torture. Taleron had let him taken right to the questioning room…he lost few time.

He tried to move his fingers and tested the tightness of his bonds. His limits were reached very fast, they were brutally strong and he felt the aftermath of the anaesthetic gas much better than before...it had an impact on him. He sighed and gave up – for now. Presumably he was able to free himself as soon as his strength had regained. He had to wait for a chance…but not all to soon, he had to admit that he wanted to know if all the assumptions he had made regarding Taleron were right…he had to know what had happened to the Biovesir after he had escaped into the DarkZone, and how the situation was created they were all in now.

And a small part of him still waited to fulfill a 4000 year old order…. He couldn´t deny this order, but this time it was for the greater good…so he had to wait for his turn, for a possibility to free them. And this meant to be patient…

Voran was satisfied with the work of his troops. They had captured the invaders successfully and without harming them, something Taleron would extremely pleased with. Voran walked quickly down the corridor, where Talerons private domicile laid. He knew this way inside out. Once, his own bureau had been there. As the minister of justice he always had had important jobs on Pr´karesh…and with Taleron as his new President his job had changed dramatically, but not unsatisfying. He looked up to Taleron, finally one man who had solved the endless problems with the criminality on his planet. Admitted, the laws were much stricter as he always wanted to have them, but only with these strict laws a perfect crimeless society was creatable. He had supported him eagerly from the beginning and was rewarded with the position as chief of the security, means he had the command over the palace guards.

He reached the door and knocked, then he entered. Taleron just shut off a video recording and put a data chip into his pocket.

"What´s up, Voran?" He asked when he saw the former minister of justice entering. "Good news, my Biovesir, we caught them and imprisoned them," Voran said and bowed. Taleron was wide-awake at once. "Wonderful. I hope you have separated them?" "Of course, the two women were locked up in one cell, the man we locked up in the questioning room." Voran said eagerly. "Good." Taleron walked over to a surveillance video system on the wall. His tension grew beyond every dimension when he hit the on-button and activated the video camera in the questioning room. It was an important moment for him….

Was it really the divine assassin?

Taleron closed his eyes when the screen popped on, then he slowly breathed in and opened his eyes, breathing out.

Talerons hand baled to a fist. It was him…he recognized him at once. The same dark hair, the same weird hairdo, the same slender figure, even the same clothes…. Inwardly he started to triumph…he had imprisoned the man who once had the order to kill him…and, not only the most deathly assassin, even better:…the last of the BrunnenG! Something where his insect part cried out in ecstasy. The worst ideas for revenge came into his mind, but he managed to suppress them. He would have his way with him...so very soon. But first he had to care about the women. Not that they were that important to him, but he wanted to prolong the anticipation of the meeting with the dark assassin.

He turned around, and Voran wasn´t sure if he ever had seen such an eerie and joyfully gaze before…it made him shiver a bit. "I will visit our female visitors first. Care about the preparations for a questioning with him. I want everything prepared, truth serum first…," Taleron walked straight to the door and Voran hurried to follow him, nodding hastily that he had understood the new orders. Taleron walked directly down to the prison, whilst Voran called two assistants who should help him with the preparations.

Taleron walked along the corridor nearly humming. He knew that he would gather the information he wanted much earlier if he questioned the both women, but, admitted, it would only be half as interesting! Besides, to talk to the women first was a wonderful change, he was fed up with all the experiments on those human test subjects, it had too much routine. Once it had had its charm to hear them beg and scream, but now….time for a change. He would return to this routine soon enough, to develop the next generation of soldiers. The experiments for the ordinary humans were finished, the empire wide spreading started, so he had to wait for new volunteers he could experiment with…volunteers the soon defeating of the Arcannea would provide….

He entered the corridor where the prison cell of Shereen and Xev laid and walked towards the guarded door.


	35. Women on fury

Chapter 34

**Women on fury**

The first thing that Xev felt when she regained her consciousness was a horrible headache. "Kai?" she croaked and tried to sit up. But, of course, something held her back. Startled, she discovered that she was bound. "I tried the same, Xev, no chance, those straps are very strong…" she heard Shereens voice next to her. She shifted her head to the left and saw, that Shereen too was strapped onto a table. Besides them and the tables, nothing else was inside this room.

A massive iron grid-door underlined the character of their domicile…

"Amazing plan!" Xev groaned after a moment. Shereen had to smile. "Let´s wait and see, nothing is decided yet!" "And Kai accuses _me_ to be unlimited optimistically!" Xev stated ironically. "Where the heck is he by the way?" "I don´t know, but I guess that they had put him elsewhere." Xev stemmed against her ties, but they didn´t loose a bit. "Forget it Xev, those ties are so strong that even a machine would have its problems to tear them apart." Shereen said, shaking her head. Xev relaxed and gave up. "What now?" "I fear…we wait." This of course was something that didn´t please Xev much. First, she hated to wait, second…she was in worry about Kai. Why had they separated them? Where was he? Well, he surely can take care of himself, but he certainly was in the same miserable situation than they were. Time had been much too short as that he was able to do something. The question that stayed on top of her list was what Taleron was up to do now. What would he do when he learned that Kai was the assassin that once had been sent after him? Kai had pointed out that Taleron knew pretty well who he once had been, they met before - and she wasn´t able to tell for whom an afresh meeting was worst…

Both women looked up when suddenly the door to their cell rattled and opened. Not that they hadn´t count on a soon visit, but this was quite fast now…

Two guards entered and flanked the doors as the third man walked in the room.

Although he didn´t wear the typical clothes of a Biovesir, Xev at once was sure that this one must be _the_ Taleron. A strange feeling arouse in her guts when she noticed this link to Kai´s past. She grunted snidely, the past 4000 years weren´t detectable on him, neither the age nor a possible insect part, well, the same as with the people they had fought before…being partially different to normal humans doesn´t mean that this different part is visible…she didn´t appear as a clusterlizard all the time or had visible marks that would lead to that conclusion. And the story with the 4000 years? Well…maybe Kai was right and he also spent it the same way they had…in a cryochamber.

Besides the dark and devious expression he showed, this man seemed to have nothing in common with the Biovesirs she already had known. Neither a Mantrid who consisted only of few organs and a head until he became a strange mixture of machine, insect and human, nor was he a Brizon who only survived because he used other bodies as spare parts…no, Taleron appeared so

ordinary…it was sometimes unimaginable that even this people were often so appalling.

Shereen grimaced as well, but she of course was able to look behind his outward appearance.

And there the strong insect dominance was very clear…something that disgusted her very much. This guy might have been an evil villain before he had treated himself with insect-DNA, but this fact doubled the endangerment additionally. How can some humans be so ill in mind to try to cross themselves with insect-DNA?

Taleron looked at them with a sneer. "I guess it´s unnecessary to tell you who I am," he started. "Indeed, it´s unnecessary, cause your name doesn´t make a change to all those other tyrants before, _Taleron_!" Shereen said and put her chin forward defiantly. Taleron raised his brows and crossed his arms. "It´s refreshing to hear some straightforward hate. I have to admit that I am surprised that it took that long to find out who it is that threatens you since years, _Mrs. President_," he bowed jeering. "And that you weren´t able to find it out alone. In fact, what surprised me most is that you need some peoples´ help for that, people I haven´t expected to find _her_e," he added and glared at Xev. Xev stared back: "Really. And what me surprised is that you Biovesirs haven´t make sense out of the Clusters fall, _despite_ your so huge knowledge…" Talerons smile faded a bit. He made a step next to the table she laid on and bent over her: "You, my dear, should be happy that there had been such people than me…I have heard that you haven´t been always looking that…perfect!" Taleron licked his lips and stroke over her collarbone. Xev grimaced in disgust and growled: "Maybe _you_ should consider, that it´s Biovesirs versus us: zero-two." Taleron started to laugh: "Mantrid and Brizon? Those cocky morons? Oh yeah, I have to admit…great ideas….but they always missed the point…" "But you did? Hallucinations about human-insect breeds as future inhabitants of the DarkZone…we have to admit, His Divine Shadow had too much influence on you, even after his death." Xev said in anger. Talerons sneer vanished completely. "This isn´t something we have to owe His Divine Shadow…he wanted to extinguish humanity, I however will enhance it…," he hissed. Xev´s sweet mouth curled up: "Oh…why so pissed…shit, I forgot, His Divine Shadow wasn´t so satisfied with the work you have done for him, right? Or why do you have to vanish?" "You´re a bit cheeky for a love-slave," Taleron said. "Maybe we should think about to complete the treatment that never got completed on the Cluster?" he asked darkly. Xev gulped, this guy hadn´t a Lusticon here, or? "Stanley told me very interesting things…but it seemed as if this damn ex-assassin had also told enough about me, hm? Tell me Xev, what´s this for a strange coincident that of all things _here_ I got my hands on some fugitives from the Cluster with the most powerful weapon of the two universes? Why would you poke your noses into something that shouldn´t be of some concern to you?" "Because we don´t like megalomaniac Biovesirs!" Xev repeated bullheaded. "Oh, stop it, Mantrid had been, yes, he in the end destroyed a whole universe, _this_ is megalomania!" Taleron stated back. "And what you do isn´t?" Shereen asked grimly. "I think a bit more realistic and down-to-earth," he answered sneering and turned at Shereen. "Realistic? Down-to-earth? What are you talking about? You´re changing humans into human-insect breed…that´s nothing less than destroying the whole humanity. It´s the same what His Divine Shadow wanted. You´re not a bit better than him!" Shereen said in a fury. Taleron burst out laughing. "You have no idea about the advantages…" "I don´t see any. I don´t see the reason to give up the way we have existed and developed since thousands of years successfully." Shereen replied. "Like I said before, you have no clue. You want to resist against progress? That´s the reason we have to solve the problem the way I do at the moment." Taleron said, pointing at the current war. "Progress, I rather resist against this kind of progress…," Shereen spit out. Taleron moved quickly at her side and grabbed her throat. "That´s too late, and you know that. Your fleet will soon be defeated and your home will be only debris in space as well…thanks to Stanley, better said the part he will play soon." Taleron hissed, his hot-tempered insect-side turned over for a moment. Xev listened attentively: "Where´s Stan?" she asked upset. "He´s safe, for now!" Taleron let go of Shereens throat and calmed down. He had to be careful, his insect-side and his wrath wasn´t a good combination if it was about to stay calm and don´t talk about his plans – you never know what could happen next. He didn´t want to kill them too soon, and there was always a possibility that anything could go wrong and his captives were able to free and contact the Arcannea…not that he believed that it was possible, but there always was a chance. He knew that his more and more powering insect-side was sometimes a little problematic on that.

"We will prevent that!" Shereen said and coughed. "How? Do you really believe that you have a chance to escape? Are you countin´ on your companion? Forget about that. He´s as save as you are." Xev winced a bit when she heard that. Not that she had counted on the possibility that Kai somehow had been able to escape, but there was always small hope. And she believed Taleron´s words. This man didn´t make faults…besides this small one about Stan and the plan he had with him. He was very self-confident. Too self-confident she heard Shereen saying in her thoughts. He made a mistake, we have to be patient, I´m sure he will make more. Xev nodded impalpably.

"And now?" she asked Taleron. "What do you want from us?" Taleron started to smile again. An evil smile. "I don´t think you will voluntarily tell me why you are here, or?" The women kept silent. "Well, I didn´t count on that. But that´s irrelevant. In this one special case I pass on the "ladies first"….I´m going to deal with your companion first. _His_ story is of far more interest to me. You should hope that he will talk, ´cause then you´re spared from something far more wicked, trust me on that." He said with pleasure. "He _won´t_ talk!" Xev hissed. "Oh, I have means for that case, don´t worry. And this time…I have a more than clear advantage: I am _able_ to _hurt_ him!" He grinned again wickedly and waved at the guards. Without any further word he left them and the iron door was shut with a loud clang.

Xev bellowed when his steps trailed away. "I could kill him!" she shouted in anger. "Leave it be, Xev, he surely wants to mess with the wrong man," Shereen pointed out. At least, she hoped that. If Kai wouldn´t find a possibility to get them out here, who would? Inwardly she moaned, maybe it wasn´t a mistake if she developed a plan B, it was her who brought them in here, and it was also her idea to get imprisoned here. It was obvious, that Taleron underestimated them as not that important…a good chance to show him the opposite.

Xev kept silent for a moment, then she asked: "Do you think he will hurt Kai?" "That depends… we can´t rule that out. He surely knows how to get people to talk. But Kai isn´t an ordinary man. A truth serum wouldn´t work on him. The anaesthetic gas hadn´t." "Where did you know that from?" Xev asked astonished. She for her part had been completely unconsciousness. "It has several advantages to have certain mental skills, a part of me was wide awake when they put us in here."

Another moment of silence.

"We have to get out here as well, Shereen," Xev said and stemmed against her bonds again, of course, this didn´t change a thing, cause it didn´t work. Frustrated the clusterlizard in her reared up and she bellowed again loudly. Shereen blinked and raised her brows but didn´t make a comment. She was as well angry, but she was able to keep her wrath under control, well, she had to admit, best she wanted to squeeze Talerons throat when he had entered…if she had been able to.

But she knew that wild anger only blurred her sight on the right things, and that she had to keep a cool head. She still had a trump up her sleeve, but she hesitated to play it out. The reason was what Taleron had accidentally told them about Stanley being his joker in the game to destroy the Alliance. He was up to destroy her home…with the Lexx. He didn´t say that clearly, but it was obvious.

"I don´t think that Stan is still here," she said finally. "Why?" Xev asked back. "Think about what Taleron has said." "Yes, but do you really think that he…" Xev hesitated to end the sentence. "…that he will use Stan to command the Lexx to destroy Arcan´s, T´uara and Sha´ra? Exactly that. If he succeeds, our fate is sealed. And he surely has some lead over us…" "Don´t talk like that. Maybe Taleron only bluffs?" Shereen laughed without humor. "Taleron isn´t the guy to bluff…I felt it. He said the truth." "But Stanley would never…," Xev protested. Shereen closed her eyes. "No, I know that. But if your own person is endangered…most people make unusual choices. And I can´t resent that." Xev gulped. Oh no, no second incident like with the reform planets. Stan wasn´t a hero, but after all that had happened in the past, he surely wouldn´t make the same mistake…or? "And what if it´s not upon him to decide, what if he is controlled? I mean, look at what Taleron had done to the people here? They didn´t appear to me as if they were themselves? Insect-humanoid breeds or not…there had to be at last something in them that wouldn´t make them to believe in Talerons motives that easy. Maybe Taleron will force Stan to do it under drugs or other…worse things." "Xev, I think that´s irrelevant…if the one case or the other…in both cases, my home is in danger, much more I thought before….and I don´t know if we´re able to do something, or stop it!" Shereen sighed. No, she didn´t want to give up, didn´t want to hand her over to this beginning feeling of hopelessness, which already had slammed its greedy claws into her mind. "As long as we´re here and alive we won´t give up. Come on Shereen, we got in here together, we will get out here together. There has to be a way!" Xev pushed, tried to signal her companion her sympathy and her loyalty. Shereen smiled a little and looked at her. "I try to think about it, as long as he´s busy with Kai, he´s distracted…maybe we can come up with something…" Shereen shoved the dark thoughts aside and tried to think about a solution for their problem.


	36. Unlocking forgotten memories

Chapter 35

**Unlocking forgotten memories**

Taleron reached the questioning room and waved at the guards before he was at the door. He was more than excited about this meeting. When he arrived, his Commander of the guards, Voran, left and nodded at Taleron. "Everything prepared!" Taleron dismissed him with a wave and smiled wickedly.

Two of his usual assistants for such questionings were present in the room and had already prepared everything under Vorans command. Before their master appeared, it was always necessary to secure everything. They had frisked Kai for weapons, and of course, they had found the brace. Hadn´t Kai been so heavily bond, he would have used this opportunity to show them the functionality of the brace. But with his arm fastened strongly onto the table, he wasn´t able to move one muscle. They extracted the brace from the organic halter after some struggle and together with his jacket it landed somewhere in the back on a table.

Then they had started with their order to inject the truth serum into his system…well, this was a less successful story.

Then Taleron entered the room.

The Biovesir had closed his eyes briefly in excitement when the doors behind him closed and he saw his prisoner.

Slowly he approached the table Kai was tied to.

There he was.

The man most feared on the Cluster, maybe except by His Divine Shadow and Brizon. The man who was the true personification of death under His Shadows reign. The man whose number of victims was terrifying unbelievable. Hadn´t he regained his true self in the meantime – Taleron had liked him very much for that – Taleron was very attracted to well functioning and effective assassins or soldiers. And besides that, this guy hadn´t lost his attractiveness over the past thousand years. He was still the same…well, almost.

As proof for his current condition, he couldn´t see any sign of the usual Divine Assassin implants anywhere. His body wasn´t excessive muscular, but well-shaped, wirily… and the usual pale and grey color of a Divine Assassins´ decarbonized body was replaced by the natural tones of a living humans´ skin. Well, he hadn´t believed it…but it was true, this man was really alive!

"Hello Kai!" Taleron hissed and bent down to the defenseless man.

Kai didn´t wince a bit when he heard him calling his name. It was the last proof he needed. He recognized the voice at once. Slowly, and nearly uninvolved, he opened his eyes to face Taleron. "Hello, biovesir!"

Taleron grinned. "So, you still know who I am!?" Kai glared at him without any sign of emotion on his face. "I state that as a yes." Taleron looked over to one of the assistants, who had tried to get his attention. "What is it?" he asked ungracious. "Biovesir," the man bowed hastily. "We tried everything to administer the truth serum…but…," "But what?" Taleron asked back, paying the man full attention. "It´s not working," the man stuttered. "Not working? How comes that?" Taleron asked on, looking shortly at Kai. The assistant shrunk his shoulders nervously. "Then start to find out why…hell and damnation, what are the devices here for?" Taleron shouted at him and put his concentration back at Kai. The assistant hurried to fulfill his master's demand.

Kai used the opportunity to rebalance himself a bit. He hid his emotions as good as he could when Taleron appeared, but despite something inside him wanted to jump at Taleron right here and now. Fortunately his cool half had more control and his mind knew that he wasn´t able to act before Taleron was about to make a mistake…or reveal a weak point. He had to stay the course, whatever would happen.

The assistants part till now had been of the inoffensive kind…there was nothing threatening to inject some truth serum into his system…cause he knew that it wouldn´t work. So he hadn´t answered any of their test questions. But on the other hand it also held the danger that Taleron would detect his true condition way to soon. Time was running – and now against him.

Taleron took up their conversation. Strange enough that the truth serum didn´t work, but he had experienced that before…with imprisoned Sha´ra. Their biology was somehow immune against such drugs. Maybe the BrunnenG was similar.

Talerons gaze shifted to a small table in the back and next to Kai´s jacket he saw a small glittering familiar shaped object. He fetched it and turned it in his hand.

"Interesting weapon, right?" he asked and played with it. "Did you know that I was the one who made the last modifications on it? No? Well, how should you…as far as I know the mindless assassins of His Divine Shadow were not really aware of their surroundings…and they acted more like decorous lapdogs." Kai turned his head and looked at Taleron with a threatening gleam in his eyes. The Biovesir smiled: "How is it to live again, Kai, to _feel_ again? After all those years…all those _murder_?"

Kai stayed cool on the outside when Taleron started the little game…he didn´t reveal his inner thoughts with any treasonable gesture. "Seems that you still stuck to old times, or why do you keep this weapon?" "To snuff out your life!" Kai growled, a bit surprised about his reaction and choice of words. Taleron shrunk back in played surprise. "Whoops…you haven´t decided to talk, don´t you? Very reasonable, even if it wasn´t very…complimentary." Kai shook his head in contempt. "Stanley told me a lot of things, well, the truth serum worked on him. A very interesting story…really. His Divine Shadow dead, the LightZone a victim of Mantrids´ megalomania, the Lexx kidnapped by three strange figures…well, but this all is nothing compared to another fact, isn´t it?" Taleron laid the weapon back down on the table and bent down to Kai again, examining him with narrowed eyes. "How comes it that you´re alive? I always thought that death is something….final!" Kai stared back: "That´s something I always believed in too," he answered calm. "We aren´t the same opinion, or?" Taleron sneered. "Except for this opinion, I don´t think we are." "Too bad. I would be so grateful about someone with experience on certain sectors. You certainly have observed that my Empire is growing very fast…? I really could need someone who is able to clean up among those who want to stop this process. Oh, but what I am talking, I forgot, it´s surely not easy for you, as a now living and breathing human being to kill someone?" "There are exceptions, Taleron, and insects and you are part of these exceptions!" Kai responded. "Again those threat to life…oh Kai, I don´t think that you will ever have the opportunity to kill anyone here…at last, I´m superior and I have a clear advantage over you now!" Taleron grabbed Kai´s throat and pressed his fingers together slightly. "You´re in my sways….and not undead anymore!" Talerons´ expression turned into one of hate and for a moment his insect side took control of him…Kai´s disrespectful behavior annoyed him and his wrath needed a bit release…he just needed it…he wanted to have a bit more fun here.

With a brutal strike his fist hit Kai´s side and the BrunnenG gasped in surprise when the air was pressed out of him.

Kai felt and heard one of his ribs breaking. The pain was very intense, but it faded as quickly as it appeared when the rib healed again. But for Taleron, he lengthened it…he mustn't know anything right now!

"It hurts, right?" Taleron said and let go of him. Except for a more distinct angry glare, Kai didn´t show any reaction. "Well, what for possibilities do we have to get a good conversation working? After we have to ignore the drugs? I, for my part, developed an appetite for physical torture over time – but I know that physical pain isn´t everything. There are other methods which can be more entertaining…what do you think, does an individual like you have other weak points besides physical vulnerability?" Taleron looked intensely at him and tipped with his forefinger on Kai´s head.

"Tell me Kai, how does it feel to be a mass murderer of innocent people…?" "…You should know best!" Kai interrupted him. "…and to know that a villain like me had escaped?" Taleron ended the sentence determined. "The dead didn´t care about that," Kai answered. "Oh, I believe you, but I don´t think that you feel the same way now. Here I am, Kai, ….but sorry, out of reach for you!" Taleron grinned. Kai looked aside…he felt the cold rage inside him growing.

"Honestly…Kai," Taleron bent down next to his ear and whispered: "I look up to you, to your career you made as a Divine Assassin in the service of His Divine Shadow. After all I learned about the BrunnenG the past years, I haven´t thought that one of these people would ever become such an expedient assassin. Of course, I have to mention, that there were some…private lessons necessary from our side, but after all, His Divine Shadow had always been very satisfied with your work…!" "I don´t know what you´re driving at, Taleron," the BrunnenG replied, a bit unsure what was Taleron aiming at when he directed his comments again and again at his past. His gut feeling told him that Taleron had a certain plan how to get him talking…and that it must have something to do with his past…

"You really don´t remember?" Kai looked at Taleron…and for a moment he was sure that his façade must have faltered, cause on Talerons face appeared a victorious smile. "There are things concerning my past I don´t remember…because His Shadow only woke me when he was in need of my service," Kai said flatly. "I don´t mean that." Taleron said almost cheering. It was about time to start the _real _game. "I know that you assassins were only revived when needed…His Shadow had enough of you, but he tried to preserve his precious ones as long as possible. Such as you…in fact, there were not many like you. You know that you haven´t been an ordinary assassin, don´t you?" Kai didn´t answer. This was exactly not the topic he wanted to be confronted with…inwardly he cursed…why had Taleron of all things had to talk about this?

Because this was the point he was vulnerable…much more than with any threat through physical pain. Taleron was good…he had underestimated the Biovesirs´ keen sense for weak points. Not only Brizon and Mantrid knew much about the assassins…he didn´t doubt that Taleron had also been well informed about some things on the Cluster than others had been. Bad apprehensions grew inside him…this situation seemed not to take a twist he wanted…

"To change individuals into Divine Assassins wasn´t mass-production, you need special specimen for it…oh yes…do you know how humans were changed into Divine Assassins? Have you ever asked yourself how it was possible to create such perfect killer machines?" Talerons gaze was that of a hawk. "No? Well, why should you, the dead don´t see any sense in such questions…" Taleron straightened up and reached into his pocket. Slowly he extracted the chip from it, so Kai could see it. The BrunnenG, ignoring the more and more intense feeling of something really worse, asked darkly: "What´s that?" "A precious treasure, priceless. I always wondered why several of His Shadows´ predecessors had made such a huge collection of records, and what was kept on them. The second last Shadow handled this archive especially with much care, only few people had access to it, mainly only those who made these records. But well, even if everything was so strict and controlled on the Cluster, an imaginative mind find its way to those things. And after I was able to copy several records from the archive, and watched them…I understood," Taleron said with a hoarse whisper. "The Divine Shadow who killed you, spent much time on you, not only after you became an assassin…even before! It´s so sad that all that happened 2000 years before I became a Biovesir in the service of one of the successors of this Shadow…but what a luck that he was so keen on recording everything that went on around him." Taleron laughed nasty and walked over to the devices to put the chip into the player. "Did you know that His Shadow was always present when new assassins were transformed? All Shadows did it. I too witnessed such a transformation. And I saw how he _loved_ to be present, how he _loved_ it to give them back their conscious mind, their memory he had stolen before, during that process." Talerons expression turned into a grimace…"So much pain, so much desperation and wrath…oh, those were times!" he thought back when he told that in a sweet voice.

For Kai, every word was as sharp as a needle piercing through his mind. For a moment his heart nearly stopped when he heard Taleron talking about that.

Were there really records about what had happened after His Shadow had killed him? If His Shadow gave several of them the memories back…why didn´t he remember that? He knew everything that had happened when he was awake and doing the deeds His Shadows had ordered him to do…worse enough, that he did. But why shouldn´t he remember this part? Kai closed his eyes when he suddenly was drawn towards a secret, unopened door in his mind. He had searched his mind often enough for information, but this part he didn´t know. It was as if this part had never existed before that day…but now it did. He had a lot of unpleasant memories…but what if his own mind protected him from the worst? What if his mind never wanted him to discover this part? Kai couldn´t stop denying that this door suddenly was there…Taleron had re-opened the path to it…and he already saw the key in the lock slowly turning….he frowned.

"We should close this error in your memories, don´t you think Kai?" Taleron said and directed a mind probe at his head. Kai´s mouth suddenly became very dry.

"Seems as if you wish yourself miles away…," Taleron laughed. "Oh, before I forget it…we can shorten this procedure of course. I´m ready any time…depends on the circumstances of course."

"And those were?" Kai asked. "Tell me why you are here…and I might think about it…," Taleron said. Of course…it would be too sad if Kai really told him now what he wanted to know…he was keen on having some fun first…

"Free Stanley," Kai said and looked gloomy at Taleron. "Oh, come on, with three people? I don´t believe a word. A President, a love-slave and an ex-assassin? Once again: What do you want here?" "Free Stanley!" Kai repeated stoically. "Of course! I thought that I wouldn´t get a proper answer and I knew that you wouldn´t give in that soon. Well, I´ve seen this vid many times…and I have to admit that it proofs this attitude…not very wise, so to speak…but very entertaining for His Shadow…and me!" Taleron walked over to the player and made a few settings for the special device he simply called a mind probe. Not that it was only for visualizing what was inside other people's mind, no, it also was utilizable in the reversed way. He had used it for torture and for brain washing before…but here it would be used for something completely new…to reveal those hidden memories inside Kai´s brain. The device would stimulate those centers of the human brain that tend to save memories. He had heard that a technique called hypnosis worked similar to reveal hidden memories…but he preferred the technical variety, because he wanted to visualize everything together with what Kai´s memories would reveal additionally to the record.

With a victorious smile he returned to Kai: "You know what, Kai? The undead are in a pitiable condition…but they have one consolation: they don´t feel…whereas living people do!"

Then he waved at his assistant to activate the beam of the mind probe and the records. A second later a green light hit Kai´s forehead and threw Kai´s concentration completely on his thoughts and memories. Kai felt the just appeared and obviously for such a long time sealed door unlocking. He couldn´t do anything against this process…Kai didn´t exactly know what would await him, but a vague feeling told him that those memories are going to confront him with a cruelty that was spared him since the day he got his memories back. Even the undead assassin hadn´t been able to access these memories…Kai didn´t try to ask himself what these memories would cause to him…if the dead don´t remember it…the living should under no circumstances reminded to it!


	37. THe last of the BrunnenG

Chapter 36

**The last of the BrunnenG**

_6000 years ago._

_Darkness._

_Timeless eternity._

_More, the man who once had been Kai, last of the BrunnenG, didn´t remember in the beginning when he was suddenly torn out of it._

_But then this darkness faded…something changed…to something that couldn´t be possible…_

_He knew that he had died…but why wasn´t he long in the place he should belong to?_

_Wasn´t he dead in the end?_

_He should have been…he somehow just _knew_ it._

_Slowly the part of his self, that woke confirmed that he must be dead: he didn´t feel any heartbeat, and no blood rushed through his veins. _

_But why did he despite wake?_

_That shouldn´t be possible – if he was dead._

_Why was he still thinking in a way only living people do? Shouldn´t the dead be free of thoughts and of questions?_

_Why did it _feel_ as if he was waking in his own body?_

_That shouldn´t be possible - if he was dead._

_Everything that happened here was much too strange to believe it. His mind was thrown into chaos…it rebelled against such impossible thoughts._

_What was it that drew him back into this so obvious dead body and how was that possible?_

_He knew he had died…but also he knew that his soul never had reached the DreamZone…the darkness he remembered wasn´t the place he should have gone to…_

_Kai tried to sort his thoughts…strange to sort _thoughts_ if you´re dead…and then he remembered that there hadn´t been darkness all the time… shortly after he had closed his eyes in the world he had lived in for 30 years, he had seen the DreamZone…it existed, he knew it._

_But he couldn´t reach it…something repelled his soul shortly before he could enter it…as if access was denied to this afterlife for him. _

_But why?_

_Had someone suddenly decided that he wasn´t worth to let his soul rest there forever? Weight the accuse of betraying his people by breaching the shield so much more than the furious attempt to defend them by sacrificing his life in battle?_

_What was it that held him back so suddenly before he could enter the DreamZone?_

_He couldn´t find an explanation…but the more he listened to his inner voice the more it became clear to him that there was something missing…something he couldn´t grab clearly._

_He felt so…incomplete._

Because a part of you isn´t with you! Your soul is torn into two pieces, and so you´re…well, not complete. Kai yelled the explanation at his past self…fruitless, of course, he couldn´t communicate with him…only his present self knew the fact why he had felt this way.

His Shadow had stolen most of his personality when he had died. That explained the impossibility to reach the DreamZone. But His Shadow failed to absorb his soul completely…the part of him that almost had entered the afterlife was cut from the rest and so it happened: his soul had been torn apart.

Whereas the part that His Shadow had stolen was now with his past self, re-awakened in this dead body, the other part had been able to escape…to an unknown place.

He now was sure that it had been the planet Water –…there really was a reason why he had seen himself in the depth of the planet Water.

_Incomplete…but despite he woke…in his dead body…what was happening here?_

"_He wakes, His Divine Shadow," he heard someone say. _

Kai didn´t know if the voice came from his memories or if it was the video…but he clearly winced when he heard that name.

"_Good, we will begin then," he heard another voice…_

…a voice he knew too well…it had been the last thing he was aware of before he…_had died!_

Kai´s mind struggled with this yet unknown past, whilst a part of him wanted to turn away…to avoid Talerons mental torture, but another part was eager to close this gap in his memories - Kai knew that several questions were still unanswered, since he got aware of his self again 4000 years ago. Not that this was a good point in time to remember…but he knew that this would be the only way to get knowledge of the unspeakable horror that had turned him from a dead BrunnenG warrior into this cruel assassin.

He had no choice…he had to remember…he was forced to…

_Flashy light blinded him from somewhere above, vaguely he saw some figures bending over him. At foot he recognized the dark figure of His Divine Shadow. Kai lifted his head to orient and why he wasn´t able to move and so strangely thinking that his body was dead._

_The explanation was simple and hit him in an instant when he managed to look down: _

_He was tied to a table, completely naked and…_

_Not that only the figure of His Shadow startled him, nor the other unknown people watching him, something else terrified him much more:_

_He noticed the wound above his heart…where His Shadows knife had cut his flesh and…_

_Kai´s head sank back…no, this wasn´t possible. It couldn´t._

_He was dead…he really was dead…but somehow alive too…_

_He still didn´t understand everything, it was hard to get accustomed to the fact that he was dead but – not dead. But what he understood right away was that he was in the sways of the tyrant who had killed him and his people. He suddenly felt sadness and hate emerging from somewhere… dead, yes, his body seemed to be…however it was possible that he was despite able to move and think, his mind didn´t feel as dead as his body and for that it was more active than ever…the feelings inside him showed that clearly._

_Between all those sudden wrath and sadness he discovered something else…a brief thought he captured before it slipped away again:_

_So the prophecy hadn´t been fulfilled - yet. The accent lay on _yet_._

"_Hello Kai, I thought it´s about time to talk with you about your future!" His Divine Shadow floated without noise at his side and stared out of the darkness of his huge hood down onto the young BrunnenG._

"_His Shadow!" Kai managed to answer, surprised he could. His voice wasn´t able to filter the hate out of his voice – he refused to do that. He was dead…what had he to loose? His Shadow couldn´t kill him twice. "His _Divine_ Shadow…," the tyrant corrected again, in an annoyed tone. "You really are – were - fractious people, you BrunnenG…well, you soon will learn how to respect me and how to follow my orders," "Never!" Kai interrupted him, without knowing at what His Shadow was __aiming. It didn´t matter…this man was his bitterest enemy and still he didn´t fear this dark one._

"_I think you will…."_

Kai remembered clearly how much resistance and defiance he had shown against His Shadow. It seemed as if he tried to continue the battle with His Shadow…from _before_ he had died…

Well, why should he stop? Like he already had thought in the past: he had nothing to lose, or? Kai shivered when he remembered the events…had His Shadow really re-awakened or re-animated him on the Cluster – before he was turned into an undead assassin? It seemed so…otherwise he wouldn´t remember anything that clearly.

His past self on the other hand had fewer speculations about His Shadow´s reasons…

_His Divine Shadow had a plan, this became clear to him from one moment to the next…and despite the worse and confusing situation he was in, a part of him decided to fight on…his body was already in His Shadows sways, it was dead, it couldn´t fight any longer…but not his mind…he felt that his mind still belonged to him, that it was still _him_, and as long as he was himself, he would resist this tyrant._

_Then His Divine Shadow talked anew, a bit amused about Kai´s reaction._

"_You should know that you really ARE DEAD…like everyone else of your pitiless people. There´s nothing left to fight for…."_

_Kai ignored the statement, he wasn´t His Shadows opinion…there was always something to fight for…even when the cause is lost!_

"_No one can bring the dead back to life!" he stated instead, refusing to comment what the Shadow had said. His Shadow started to laugh. "Oh, I didn´t give you back you´re life… technically you´re really dead…but there are ways to revive dead bodies for some time." _

"_What do you want? Why all that?" Kai asked and tried to understand._

_His Divine Shadow laughed again, he enjoyed the confusion and the horror in this ones eye. He stroked with his gloved hand above Kai´s body. _

"_I want to punish you and your people beyond death…that´s what I have in mind. The BrunnenG have caused enough resistance in the past…. It´s about time for a payback," he hissed, his voice full of hate when he spoke out the name of Kais´ people._

"_I revived your body with the possibilities I possess, and I transferred your memories back to you so you can experience what will happen to the last of the BrunnenG _and_ the prophecy. My future plan for you will ensure that you are going to be in my service, as one of my assassins. So there will never be any talk about a prophecy when you fulfill my orders and clean the LightZone from all heretics and disloyal people." His Divine Shadow bent lower, the final statement he made sounded like a curse: "And for my personal satisfaction: it´s not enough for me to see your entire people dead or the prophecy proofed wrong, no…" His Shadow´s voice decreased to a whisper so only Kai could hear what he said: "I want to punish your people and you beyond their existence…by making a mockery out of their proud warriors…and believe me, for what you have done…it´s just an act of mercy…you deserve far far worse. I´m going to ensure that you will forever be mine!"_

_When Kai remembered all this, his current confusion was history. It didn´t matter how he had felt about this strange dead-alive experience he was thrown in so suddenly and unexpected, it didn´t matter any longer what had happened at all. His Shadow had stated right away what he was up to…it didn´t matter what or how he would turn him into an assassin…it only mattered that he would do it. He wanted Kai to obey and to follow his orders…something a proud BrunnenG would never let happen…to give in and obey the enemy. This would indeed be unique in history of his people. The great warriors of old times rather had died than to do that…but what if you´re already dead? _

_Kai started to understand that there was indeed no way out of this…as hard as he tried to think about a solution…he was absolutely powerless._

His present self asked the same question. Kai knew that His Shadow of course had succeeded in making him obey and follow his orders, but Kai also knew that this had happened without being in possession of his personality…so why was His Shadow so interested in making him witness this act of violence to his body?

Could His Shadow really do that?

Making him witness by full consciousness what the Biovesirs will do to him?

For what reason? He was already in His Shadows sways…he couldn´t run, if His Shadow would turn away his memories again…he would do as His Shadow commands…without this memories he was only a body without a will…aware what was going on, because he remembered everything, but not paying attention or wasting any thoughts about it.

The purpose of all that evaded him.

Another question arose: If his mind had locked these memories away so securely…would a sane mind be able to take this experience in?

Inwardly Kai felt suddenly very sick…had he really to witness his own alteration into a Divine Assassin? Was this Talerons´ plan? To confront him with records from this event?

Somehow several puzzle pieces seemed to fit together.

He hadn´t thought that Taleron was able to find his weakpoint that fast…but Stan must have told him enough about his difficult start in this new life…and Kai knew that Taleron was intelligent enough to draw his conclusions out of that. And how he now had to learn bitterly: he had sufficient resources to find a way to rub it in.

His mind had protected him from this cognition…for a reason.

Would he be able to resist these new, undoubtedly hurting flood of memories?

It became clear to him that Taleron saw the best chance to get him talking by exchange physical with mental pain…in his case maybe the right choice.

Kai recognized with horror what would approach him now…inwardly he groaned and tried to prepare for it…

He wasn´t sure if his past self was in the better position that moment…cause it didn´t know completely what would happen now…but what it knew was enough.

_He knew that His Shadow was about to make his life…his existence…a true misery from this day on. And that he wasn´t able to prevent it…he would be turned into an assassin._

_But then something came into his mind. His rebellious warrior soul answered his question for resistance…there was only one way left to him: His Shadow had his body…but not his mind, his personality, his soul. At the moment it was completely his own. Oh, no doubt that His Shadow was able to change that anytime…but Kai swore to himself this very moment that he had to stay strong…to show his enemy not a single moment of success…he didn´t want the BrunnenG to be forgotten, whatever His Shadow would do to him…he wanted to keep this last fire of resistance alive…as long as possible. I won´t be yours he said to himself…if this was, what His Shadow wanted, he would find a way to deny the tyrant this last satisfaction. _

_It was the only power he had over this worst tyrant he could imagine: not granting him the success to break him._

_Let them do what they want with his already dead body, but they will never triumph over his mind…and who knows…as long as he withstands…maybe there was at least someday a small chance to fulfill the prophecy…there must be a reason why he hadn´t succeeded in fulfilling it yet. And who besides him should fulfill the prophecy? There was no BrunnenG left besides him._

_Kai knew that the first battle against His Shadow was only foreplay…now the real one would start…_


	38. Birth of a dark legend

Chapter 37

**Birth of a dark legend**

The irony and sarcasm of the situations didn´t elude Kai. Again he was at the will of a tyrant…only his mind free to resist. But will he have the strength to witness again what was done to him? Something he knew as much as the records had shown him so far? Kai didn´t know anything about the outcome…so there was nothing he could prepare for…Taleron will unlock these memories bit by bit…and Kai was sure that this experience would be as unpleasant as if he was in the sways of His Divine Shadow, turning him into an assassin again. Kai´s inner self was shaken to the core when he realized the full horror of this situation…but could he do anything against it? No…

"_Begin!" he heard His Shadow say. Kai stared at His Shadow who sat down opposite him to survey the following procedures…no doubt…the tyrant was really excited. _

_The other attendees in black and violet robes_, his present mind knew that they were biovesirs_, gathered back around him and their leader – it was Brizon – waited, holding a knife in his hand._

_The assistants got busy and several fluids were injected into his body. He didn´t feel anything so far, but after some seconds, Kai suddenly felt a shivering rolling through is dead body… something changed rapidly with the ability to feel his body. _

_He still couldn´t detect any heartbeat, any blood in is veins, but he suddenly felt the cold air in here and the more cold touch of the head Biovezirs gloves on his bare skin. Kai´s eyes widened in shock when re realized it…a new terrific sensation grew inside him…they hadn´t…or?_

_They did. _

_Somehow these fluids restored the possibility to feel everything…like if he was alive. _

Kai understood that His Shadow must have revived his body with a very small amount of protoblood…in a different way than later, because he hadn´t possessed the protoblood supply system at that time. The research of the biovesirs and their every-day work with other divine assassins had lead to the invention of many useful things…so he didn´t wonder about this possibility to make him feel again…

_Then the blade of the knife sunk down onto him and Brizon pierced through the already damaged skin above his heart and continued where His Shadow had stopped…the knife slowly cut through his dead flesh all the way down…it was the work of a slaughterer, but unlike the poor animals, he was at full consciousness and completely capable to sense what the Biovezirs were doing to him._

_The Biovezirs did their horrible work with the efficiency of well-trained and used-to-their-work servants of His Divine Shadow. More…especially Brizon was keen on testing newly learned knowledge from past surgeries on corpses. It was his aim to develop the best Divine Assassin he ever laid hands on…he was convinced that especially this dead man couldn´t be a better candidate for it._

_They removed from Kai´s body what wasn´t of need for his future existence and replaced it with equipment that made Kai less and less human._

_Full three days this hell lasted. Three days of endless repeating pain and screams, never a moment of relieving unconsciousness…never a moment of rest from this treatment._

_Not a moment where His Divine Shadow stopped trying to break him mentally as well as he had already broken him physically._

But…Kai remembered that he despite resisted.

He didn´t give in, he didn´t give up.

But did His Shadow guessed how close he had been to succeed?

Suddenly the flow of these horrible memories was cut. He still saw the pictures, the open door to them, but his concentration was withdrawn from them, he somehow recognized that Taleron must have stopped the video and the mind probe…maybe to question him.

But the Biovezir would have to be patient…cause the BrunnenG sunk into unconsciousness… what he had remembered recently was too much. Millenia old memories of pain, pushed back and locked, now released with an intensity he simply couldn´t stand, left their trace…

Taleron bent down onto Kai, a bit disappointed that the BrunnenG had fallen into unconsciousness. Well, Taleron licked his lips, It seems that the memories of what he had felt at that time had swashed over into the present. In fact…it had been more than clearly audible! Taleron smiled cruelly, not a physical torture he knew was able to worm such painful screams out of his delinquents. Which impact it really had on Kai, he was unsure…as long as he was unconscious…

Taleron waved at his assistant and ordered them to wake the BrunnenG. He had to continue, the sooner he was able to break Kai the better…he needed to know more about their visit here…and he and his insect part enjoyed the procedure...

Only with half concentration he listened to the other assistant who told him stuttering that he wasn´t able to find out anything about the ineffectiveness of the truth serum. Taleron furrowed his brows but decided to drop this…it wasn´t that important to him now. He had to put his full concentration on Kai´s questioning…a truth serum might be the fastest way to get to information…but THIS was far more entertaining….time for something new…his usual work with other "volunteers" down in his research labs went quiet boring with the time…

When Kai woke from the short unconsciousness, he wasn´t sure if he woke in the here or now or deep in the past of this painful memories. With much effort he tried to get his mind clear again…he tried to avoid the lurking memories and fought his way back into calm water.

He knew that his reaction to this horrible treatment must have been clearly visible to Taleron, but what should he do? His willpower was still there…but it had suffered. He asked himself how he could have resisted His Shadow facing all this horror and pain.

Maybe because he wasn´t influenced by other things like an endless list of murder?

Kai realized that Taleron had quite a good chance to get all information out of him, a good chance to learn that everything was only one huge bluff…if that happens, he knew that Shereen and Xev were lost…and next to the option to just give up…he knew that the only acceptable one was those to hold on…he had to, whatever happens, and he didn´t doubt that behind this door waited so much more that was able to break him once and for all…

"Now?" he heard Talerons voice. Kai opened his eyes, his expression as deadpan as at the beginning, but his eyes gave him away, they spoke a clear language. "Measured by your reaction, His Shadows "treatment" hadn´t changed much over time…you have to know…I witnessed some "alterations" and till that point, most of His Shadows future assassins really fought against their later master…and resist. Astonishing? Isn´t it? But…well, in the end, it was always the same…His Divine Shadow broke them…like an obedient dog they all were!"

Kai winced a little when he heard that. Did His Shadow succeed in the end? He was obedient…but only because he had no idea who he had been…if His Shadow wants his servants that way, he just had to steal their personality…like he did with all Divine Assassins…or wasn´t this enough for the tyrant? He had told him that he wanted to break Kai´s resistance, that it wasn´t enough to him to have his body under his control…he wanted his soul as well…

So, did he succeed? Taleron seemed to be quite sure about this fact…he knew this records…and Kai didn´t has any memory of this final part of the things Talerons had just revealed.

The only thing that let him hesitate and admit that Taleron may could be right, was the fact that he hadn´t felt like a "broken" person when he regained his life and his soul. If His Shadow really had succeed in his efforts…it should have had consequences to the constitution of his whole living soul.

Or did his mind protect him from this facts too?

He saw that both outcomes were possible…

Kai pressed his lips together. It was Talerons aim to get this questioning to an end…and this meant nothing else than the same His Shadow had tried 6000 years ago…to break him, and Kai was decided to get more time…if one of them three was able to do something….they needed more time to act.

"Now, what is it? Do you really want to see what methods His Shadow had used to defeat your stubborn personality? Or do you just want to stop here and you tell me why you are here?"

Kai looked grimly at Taleron and shook his head, his voice was a bit rough, probably from screaming. "No," Talerons victorious smile disappeared. Of course he had hoped to gather this information soon…on the other hand…such a sudden end of this fun wasn´t what he really wanted. Without any further words he reactivated the mind probe and the record on his own. The beam sent Kai back into his hidden memories.

_A cold cell._

_Nothing was in there. Only four blank, stony walls and an iron door._

_He was alone in this cell._

_Alone after three days of horrible pain and never ending tries to make him give up._

_Kai tried to sit up, and supported by the wall behind his back he finally succeed. He didn´t open his eyes…he felt that he was still naked and he felt fear rearing up…what would he see when he took a look down his body?_

_Kai sensed it._

_He knew that it was unnecessary to breath…in fact, he couldn´t do that any longer…but despite he gasped when he finally managed to open his eyes and look at what had happened to him. _

_With horror he discovered the current state of what was done to him so far._

_He only was a humanoid shape that was alternated with extreme brutality and disrespect. Biological and mechanical implants were in places where once human organs had been. His whole organism was changed to function on chemical-biological technology. All changes that would make him to this every human superior assassin. _

Kai remembered the cell very vividly suddenly…the coldness, the loneliness, the hopelessness. Cuddled he had sat in the corner of this cell, his long hair the only protection to the chilliness and the loneliness in it. It just wondered him a bit that they hadn´t cut it, removed it, they just had opened the typical bun…now it hung at full back length down like a dark curtain.

Kai knew that His Divine Shadow was watching him and he tried his best to give him a good view.

_Kai didn´t know what would happen next, but whatever it was…there was no escape. _

_No escape…the same as for all the other poor creatures who shared his fate and which he could hear cry and scream outside._

_He hadn´t to wait long before they came in again to fetch him. _

Kai remembered that he again tried to fight back, the resistance of a still rebellious, unbroken soul.

_His Divine Shadow was with the guards and watched the resistance of him with interest and Kai felt the taunting delight of him, when one of the guards of the Divine Order kissed the dust and didn´t move any more. Kai was strong, he had been before, and with the new alteration it had grown additionally, and so the normal guards had their problems with getting hold of him._

_Only vaguely he registered that he had caused the first death in his new existence; and exactly this demonstration confirmed His Shadows assumption that he would be an excellent assassin. Kai would have continued the fight in hope to find a way to escape, but His Shadow put an end to this skirmish when he saw that none of the others would…_

_He forced Kai down to the floor and the BrunnenG somehow felt the chilliness of the floor piercing through his unformed body as well in the past as in the present._

_His Shadow pinned him merciless to the floor so the guards were able to tie him up. Overwhelming wrath filled him._

"_Take him to the decarbonisation chamber, it is time we finalize his alteration!" he ordered the guards and the waiting Biovezirs who removed him from the cell._

_When he was put into the so-called decarbonisation chamber…his memories faded into black…_

What he remembered were more sensations…the process he didn´t remember…it was all too vague.

The alteration of his former human-biology based body into the decarbonized assassin caused him to suffer such agonies that it adumbrated everything else.

The records on the other hand were much clearer about that part as his own memories, and it wasn´t a relief that he was able to access this external "memory". What he was able to see changed significant when the pictures he had seen before were only fed by the record-source instead of his memories and the records together. The mind probe projected the records of his alteration directly into his mind and what he didn´t remember was burnt into his soul forever.

Kai felt his consciousness fading again…how was he able to stand all that? How?

But in the end he managed to stay with conscious and then this part was over…the memories returned when he saw himself lying on a table again…he guessed that it was only short after they removed him from the chamber…he appeared so pale that it shocked him despite he knew about it.

But did His Shadow succeed in his plans…to make him give up? To break him?

_No…he didn´t. When Kai awoke anew from another torturing treatment…it was the first thing that came into his mind…don't give up He hadn´t…he didn´t see a reason to give up…_

_His Divine Shadow didn´t show his displeasure about it, but he heard the guards of the Divine Order and the Biovesirs whispering and exchange insecure gazes. More than one time he heard the words: "Mistake – prophecy – unbending BrunnenG – " _

_There was much shattered inside him, caused by the torment he had to go through, but the small spark of pride was still there and defended these unbending BrunnenG as brave as he could. _

"_You will be mine!" He heard His Shadow talk anew when he opened his eyes and watched them tying him to the table. His Shadow took a small tube and looked grimly at Kai._

Kai´s present state of knowledge recognized this tube at once…it was the tube that supported him over 2000 years with the protoblood. His Shadow explained him what he hadn´t known at this time:

"_The protoblood will ensure that you obey every single order I am about to give you…you will obey…without questioning, without hesitation."_

_Kai remembered the hopeless wrath and the desperation that grew inside him. He didn´t want to grant His Shadow the control over his living mind. _

"_Never, I will never obey any of your orders!" Kai said and stemmed against the bonds that held him down. His Shadow didn´t react, instead he attached the tube to the new implant where his heart once had been. The protoblood-supply. "To reanimate you during the past processes, we only supported you with few protoblood, because your unformed body wasn´t ready to process more than only a very small amount. With your decarbonisation you aren´t only invulnerable from now on, no, now it also was the last piece to change you into a complete new being – a Divine Assassin." His Shadow stroke with his finger over the protoblood-supply and then up over Kai´s skin to his neck and his cheek. Kai turned his head away, but very fast His Shadow grabbed Kais chin and forced him back. _

"_The circle is closed…the last of the BrunnenG is past…you are past…the prophecy will be extinguished. From this day on you will enforce my order, my will. You will kill everyone who is foolish enough to rebel against my order and me…_

_You are going to serve me and my successors…-till eternity!" His Shadow announced._

_Then, for the first time, he felt the full capacity of protoblood entering his system. It burnt its way through his artificial and non-artificial veins like cold fire. It revived his body, it woke every single implant to life. It took possession of him…slowly it swamped any natural sensation out his limbs. _

_Kai suspected that these sensations were the first, which fall prey to the protoblood. Will all other human sensations stop to exist like this? Love, Hate, wrath, anger, pity, anguish…?_

Today he knew that exactly this was the reason for his incapability to feel. Maybe his undead state was also a small reason for it…but with the right fluids His Shadow had given him the ability to feel, to express the emotions…but the protoblood had changed this forever. There was no way back…even the regaining of his memories hadn´t changed that…

But there was more…the protoblood was about to take the ability to feel away from his past self, but he suddenly recognized something else that the memories showed him faster than the records:

The protoblood wasn´t able to carry His Shadows point.

At least…not as long as he had his memories – with it the part of his soul that was just him, and that he had defended the past days. Kai grasped the context very fast.

When he was freed of His Shadows control…it was only possible because he got his memories and his personality back. His own WILL was able to withstand that of His Shadows…the will of the tyrant, which was transferred through the protoblood.

And suddenly a few things became clear to him…His Shadow hadn´t had another choice as to put away his memories and personality…otherwise he would never had controlled him.

It was somehow a triumphant thought that rushed through his thoughts…but Kai suppressed it. What did it matter when there was despite the possibility to override it by stealing away his memories?

His past self understood those things not completely, but what it understood was enough to make His Shadow angry.

_When His Shadow gave him the first order, it was no wonder that Kai didn´t obey. The BrunnenG awaited the inescapable moment when he was forced to obey…but it didn´t happen. He felt the protoblood rushing through his body, but next to the unaccustomed whispering of data, it didn´t cause the feared control. Kai was still himself. _

_And so he ignored His Shadows first order. He stood upright in front of His Shadow and controlled his body not to act like His Shadow wanted. _

_He may was at their mercy…but he will never ever obey, never would he give up his will._

_With a firmness that belied all his past ordeal he triumphed over His Shadows will. Not a wonder that His Shadow was very unsatisfied and…very angry. Such a thing had never happened before._

"_It is his personality, his memories," Brizon said, addressed to His Shadow. "Maybe it´s the length you allowed him to keep them. It´s possible that he had grown such a strong will over time. Keep in mind that no one else before had developed such a behavior…no one else had resisted you that long and persevering before – most of them broke after the first step!" "And what are you going to point at, Biovesir Brizon?" His Shadow asked calamitous. "Ah...well…," Brizon stuttered. "…the prophecy," another colleague whispered with big eyes. This of course was exact the wrong statement in His Shadows presence. "There is no prophecy…not any more"! The tyrant thundered and only a second later this Biovezir wasn´t any more too._

"_Bear with it," he addressed to the terrified anxious guards and Biovezirs attending. He turned back to Kai, whose pale body was a shining contrast to the dark background of the black clad guards and the room. _

_Every muscle was tensed, but he knew all to well, that he had no chance to escape. He might be His Shadows most efficient assassin - but no assassin would ever be strong enough to turn against His Shadow by accident. _

_His Divine Shadow grabbed Kai´s body and pushed him with bone-breaking force to the wall. "You will never have again the opportunity to resist me!" the tyrant hissed. Never before there was such a case…The young BrunnenG showed a stamina and a will he had never seen on humans. He had been sure from the beginning that this character would ensure him an excellent assassin…but he had never counted with such willpower. He had seen it as challenge to break this willpower…but again he had failed, and this made him lost his temper. His anger grew the minute the more he had to determine that Kai´s will seemed to be stronger than his…_

_He had to break this one…he wanted to break him…his ego was more than ever keen on that…but now his wrath took over._

"_We will start with your training, one way or the other," His Shadow announced and looked at Kai. The stubborn glinting in his eyes let the tyrant loose control…Kai had realized with what His Shadow had failed._

_The Shadow let his anger run free and concentrated his whole wrath at Kai´s continuous healing body. The BrunnenG felt no pain anymore…this sensation had passed…the protoblood had taken it away. But something he still felt was that His Shadow extracted the memories from him some time later, and he fell back into darkness._

At this point everything ended for some time. The missing of own memories and pictures transferred to him through the mind probe, let him return into the here and now again.

Kai opened his eyes, trying not to give away what he was thinking and feeling facing this unspeakable horror. He of course wasn´t able to feel the physical pain, but this long forgotten pain was still echoing through his soul…and this was nearly the same. He never had seen himself as the victim in all what happened, he had no reason for it...so many people were killed by his hands…but now, for the first time ever, he _felt_ abused.

He knew that the best thing he could do now was to attack…don´t reveal anything to the enemy.

"Why do you believe that you will succeed in something where His Shadow had failed?" Kai croaked. Taleron just stared at him when he heard that question and turned.

Indeed, Kai seemed to be much more resistant than he had expected. But he had also seen that everything that was revealed now was something Kai wasn´t aware of…he had seen the shock in his eyes, but despite…

What was it that made him so strong? Where does this strong will come from? Regarding to Stans information, Kai had to have suffered more than one trauma after getting this life back. Who was that strong to "ignore" this violent past and the death of innocent people? After all, this one was part of a society that had withdrawn from all violence and death…killing someone must have been an act of barbarism to them…oh, why hadn´t the BrunnenG been so peaceful 20 000 years ago? When the righteous and true rulers of the universes, the insect were about to rise?

And why wasn´t he able to get this one to talk?

New anger rose inside him…he turned back to Kai and grabbed his throat. "It´s a good question, but compared to you I know the complete records…and I am very sure that we will start to talk very differently after you´ve seen the last part…" He let go of Kai and waved his assistant. Kai shook his head. "Do you believe it or do you just hope it?" Taleron gritted his teeth. "I _know_ it!"

Kai shook his head again, somehow he was sure that he had detected a slight insecurity in Talerons attitude when he talked about the fact that His Shadow had been able to break him. Maybe the outcome was much different to what Taleron believed or what he wanted Kai to believe. Kai lifted his head to underline his next words. "I will _never_ give in!" he hissed. Taleron laughed, but it sounded a lot more insecure than Taleron surely wanted.

Hold on, he said to himself, it surely wouldn´t be easy, his innermost tensed when he heard Taleron talk about the "last" part that was still waiting to be revealed to him. How would this whole thing end? Will enough willpower remain to get over this? Enough to get out here? Free Shereen and Xev? He wasn´t sure, but he had to try. An end as mental cripple surely wouldn´t be helpful…

_Kai´s train of thoughts was stopped and replaced with a continuation of those records…_


	39. Escape plans

Chapter 38

**Escape plans **

"Shereen, I really don´t want to disturb your meditation, but…," Xev started impatiently.

The other woman opened her eyes and turned her head to look at her, slowly she breathed out. "Allright, allright, I have an idea…let´s hope it works." "What for an idea?" Xev asked whispering. "I think I´m able to convince the guards outside the door to come in…but we´re still enchained then." "If you´re able to lure them in…can´t you just convince them to unbind us?" Xev asked. "I…don´t know. They´re only partially human, this insect part is, well…very unpredictable. It controls those people, and so I think it´s very difficult to influence something that already influence and manipulates other things." "What for alternatives do we have?" Xev asked sighing. "Not many I fear…it would be much easier if at least one of us would be free." Xev looked at her: "If I only had the strength to tear these bonds apart…I´m half clusterlizard…I should…-" Xev paused for a moment, "Shereen?" "Mhh?" "Are you able to manipulate my mind in a way so I´m able to reach the state of mortal fear or desperation?" Shereen looked perplexed at her. "And how should that be useful for us?" "My other half, the clusterlizard comes to full action if I can concentrate completely on it, and this works best if I´m scared, close to death or completely desperate…I should sum up the strength to free myself then." "This sounds completely out of mind and interesting the same way…I cannot tell if it works, but it´s surely worth a try. But I have to warn you…it´s not very pleasant to be manipulated by a telepath….!" "I fear, we don´t have much choices, Shereen, I will somehow deal with it, let´s start, we have wasted enough time in here!" Xev encouraged her. Shereen sighed and nodded slowly…"As you wish." Then the Sha´ra concentrated.

Projecting sensations of fear wasn´t a big problem for Shereen, she hadn´t used this skill in a long time, it was rather not advisable to do such things whilst conferring with other senators…but she knew how to use her skills in all varieties…everything that remained was a bit insecurity about the fact if it really worked. Manipulating other people wasn´t as easy as it sounds…with some it worked…with some not. But fortunately she found the lever she had to pull when she searched for a possibility to cause the wished effect. She created a strong vision in Xevs mind and withdrew…waiting for the effect.

The reaction was unbelievable fierce. The artificial caused mortal fear spread through her mind and her physiology reacted as well on that threat. Her organism sped up and the more aggressive part of her, the clusterlizard half, kicked in and activated the much stronger survival instinct.

In front of Shereens eyes, Xev reared up and stemmed with all her strength against the bonds that held her down on the table. Under normal circumstances every bone in her body would have been broken…but thanks to the clusterlizard part, that didn´t happen. With an audible crunch the bonds gave in and tore. Xev rolled from the table in her clusterlizard form, caused by the overage of energy she had set free. On the opposite wall she came to a sudden stop. With her back to the wall she slid down to the floor, re-adopting her human form. Shereen closed her eyes relieved and secured that nothing of the artificial nightmare remained in her mind.

"Everything okay?" she asked then. Still a bit dazzled Xev nodded: "I think so. Very impressing skills by the way." "Didn´t I say that I have my little secrets?" Shereen asked amused. Xev smiled back and got to her feet. "Then I suggest we put the fear of God into those guards!" Xev said and pointed at the door. "We should do that, you´re right, ready?" "More than that!" Xev positioned into a dead corner next to the door and waited. Shereen concentrated for the second time today and searched for the mind structure of the guards outside. Once sensed, she broke through their mental barriers and talked them into believing that something in the cell wasn´t okay and that they should look for it. Both guards were deceived.

Until they would wake they wouldn´t have any idea what just had happened to them. Xev had greeted them in her special way as soon as they both had entered the cell. They were too surprised to think about resistance, luckily, despite her clusterlizard strength she felt that these kind of guards were much stronger than those they met before. Xev rummaged their clothes for the keys and knives to free Shereen.

The Arcannea sighed and stretched. "Much better. So far so good, free we are, but when we have left this cell time is running against us much faster." "We have to find Kai…everything else will be solved after that, I think," Xev meant. Shereen looked pensive at her. "I think we should find a way to communicate with Yareena as fast as possible. If Stan is taken back to Arcan´s, back to the Lexx, then we´re going to have a real catastrophe." "Then maybe it´s better we part and you´re trying to get to a communication terminal, whilst I search for Kai." Xev suggested. "That´s too risky, Xev. Alone we have small chances to reach our destinations. We have to keep in mind that Kai must be in the same situation than we were recently, and I doubt that I will be able to manipulate Taleron the same way I did with the guards." Shereen explained…she hadn´t a good feeling about the situation their friend was in…especially if Taleron was with him. "As urgent as a communication with Yareena is now… we have to find Kai first, in a threesome we have a better chance to get to the control room where I believe to find the communication terminal. Besides…I know this place, I don´t want you to walk around with no idea where you are." "Then let us waste no time…," Xev nodded and threw a gaze into the corridor outside…it was empty. Shereen collected the weapons from the floor and handed Xev one. "Where to?" Xev asked. She really had no idea where she had to start. "This way, the questioning rooms are several twists, turns and crossing corridors down there." "Okay…let´s go!" Xev closed the cell door behind them and then they walked close to the wall down the corridor….always aware of possible patrols.

The recent activated records didn´t trigger any slopped memories. He knew about the things the records showed him. Mainly training units to get his programming accommodated to the skills he should perform. The Biovezirs had to change several things so he worked properly and for the task he was created for. He vaguely remembered the day they attached the brace, so he was able to kill in this special way next to several other ways he had learned before. They provided him with everything that was necessary to make hima Divine Assassin and the records also showed some later improvements that were done on him. The memories to all that weren´t pleasant, but nothing that scared him or seemed to be important.

So why did Taleron show this rather unimportant details? Or had something happened that he wasn´t aware of in that time? Surely…why should he otherwise does that. But what could be worse than what he already had remembered?

Not your own pain – the pain of others, his subconsciousness whispered at him, The pain you have inflicted to others.

An ice-cold knot formed in his stomach. Suddenly it became clear to him what would happen. Was it possible that His Shadow had given him back his memories during the time he had been an assassin? That he tried to confront Kai´s personality with what he had done and was still doing? Only to try to break him with that knowledge?

If this was the fact, then why should this have any impact on him? He knew that at this point in time the protoblood and his undead state already had deprived him of all sensations. He surely hadn´t been able to feel something that could have made him give up or break. But what if those memories weren´t from a point in time decades later? What if they were close to the time they had changed him into the assassin? A time where he might hadn´t felt any pain done to his body…but still was able to express and feel emotions?

Kai needn´t to wait until exactly that feared situation was shown by the records…from one moment to the next he just knew that this was the case…his memories hit him with full intension…and he remembered everything faster than the records were able to show.

_He was in a dark room, only the dark scheme of His Shadow next to him was visible to him. He stumbled back when the tyrant gave him back his memories. The new assassin he was, knew numbers of ways to defend himself against threats…but against this threat he was powerless. _

_He was powerless against these sudden impressions, these sudden confrontation with who he had been…and what he had become. With the sudden knowledge how perfect he was now trained and skilled by the Divine Order...to become a being he never wanted to be...but with no chance to prevent it. Without his willpower he was nothing but a obedient dog. Kai shivered inwardly at this cognition. His hands baled to fists but next to this emotions, he still was able to feel, he was incapable to notice his body the way a living man does. The protobloods influence...he only wondered that he still had those emotions…either it was because it hasn´t reached its full effect or was it caused by the low level of protoblood he was re-animated with – undoubtedly for security reasons. _

_They fear you _

_But why? He was an assassin, but he was powerless against the Divine Order._

_Kai tried to orientate, but the darkness around him was impenetrably, even with his new skills, or was this also an effect of the low amount of protoblood?_

_Kai felt weak…he normally had the ability to fight everything, but not now…every thought about resistance was crumbled to dust._

_Kai registered the wall behind him, he didn´t feel it, he just detected it in a strange mechanical way. Everything was so different, much more different before they had finalized the decarbonisation process on his body…, and the animation with protoblood._

_But it was odd to feel at least some emotions…a last chance for his Shadow to humiliate him again? A last chance to break him once and for all? _

For a brief moment, Kai´s present self asked: Or had he always tend to feel some slight emotions when he was low on protoblood? Kai didn´t remember this part well, but the few times he was low on protoblood since he had met Stan and Xev…there had been something deep inside him that wanted to emerge, but that he had denied!? Surely…he had admitted that to Xev not long ago: He always had been afraid that something would happen to her…this only could be a proof for it…or? Strange to learn the answer to that question after such a long time…and in this place.

This brief thoughts ended as sudden as they emerge…something else replaced them…something more unpleasant and more emotional: he knew what would come now…he tried to keep all the memories about that out of his mind…but he knew that he would loose that fight…they were to intense, too horrible and much too real…Kai felt anxiety rising inside, unintentionally his body tensed, he vaguely felt the bonds around his wrist cutting into his flesh when he stemmed against them…this moment would reveal the horrible truth of what he had done in this dark room and what he would do for long 2000 years in the service of the Divine Order. He was afraid to witness it again…fully alive and fully capable to all emotions bond to it. Kai didn´t know if he was ready to stand it…but he knew that he had no choice…he never had any choice…he had to resist against what Taleron wanted to reach with it…it didn´t matter to him any longer if Taleron was able to see him fighting with these memories, or the fact that the wounds caused by the bonds would heal in an instant and reveal his little secret…the only thing that mattered to him now, was to withstand, to not give in!

"_Today your new future has begun, last of the BrunnenG," he heard His Shadow whispering in his ear. Gloved hands gripped his arms and Kai detected that he was still undressed._

_The horror of his own, heavily disfigured body came back, but this wasn´t the most disturbing point in this moment. Something else drew his attention suddenly: he not only smelled blood but he also detected that he was all over covered with blood…he saw it when the room was lightened up…and not only he saw the blood on his naked body…he also saw the reason for it:_

_Everywhere on the ground were corpses…some of them violently deformed so no one could detect which gender or age they were…but the smallest of them had been undoubtedly children._

_With a terrible outcry Kai stumbled back as he understood…_

_His Divine Shadow had loosened him for the first time at his future victims…they were the first in an endless line of thousands he would kill._

_The sight of the dead people and the blood all over was the explicit proof for his guilt…and this very moment something inside this new assassin, who once had been a proud warrior of the BrunnenG, was shattered to pieces. _

_He barely noticed the firm grip of His Shadow who pressed him triumphantlydown to the floor, into the blood of his victims._

"_You see that you will do as I demand, and…," poignant sarcasm crept into His Shadows voice: "…you´re doing that with an efficiency that surpass all my expectations!" _

_Kai just lay on the ground,his gaze unfocused and almost blank. The bright fire of resistance was diminished to almost zero. He noticed a small glimpse of this rebellious fire still inside but he also knew that it was over for the moment._

_He wasn´t able to act against His Shadow...nor was he able to fulfill the prophecy...His Shadow would deprive him of his memories and of his personality – it was the only way he would obey. They both knew it, and this was His Shadows only victory over him – for now._

"_Some day, the prophecy will be fulfilled…we both know it…because some day you will make the crucial mistake…," he said…completely emotionless. The dead didn´t care what happened after that._

Talerons records stopped with this picture…Kai on the ground…a triumphant His Shadow above, pressing him down into the blood of his victims…there was no resistance coming from the BrunnenG…

The situation was all to clear to Taleron.

With a terrifying grin on his face he watched the BrunnenG fighting against the memories and the knowledge what had happened. The desperation Kai´s whole body radiated let him drew his own kind of conclusions…the BrunnenG was on the edge…and he would soon tell him what he wanted to know…he deactivated the mind probe and waited with a real ugly expression on his face for Kai´s reaction of this defeat.

Only slowly the all too real memories faded.

Kai groaned. The mental agonies he suffered were much worse than anything he had to experience before…even the normal memories after he got alive again weren´t that agonizing. True, he suffered under the knowledge that he had killed thousands of innocent people…but now he had to learn bitterly that his soul, his self, should have known all that before.

Hadn´t his mind built a mental barrier around it…facing all this he surely hadn´t survived the first days of his new life.

But was there a difference _when_ he did learn about it? Kai felt helplessly committed to his memories again – especially to these new facts. He always knew that his inconsistent stability could be shattered anytime, but he never guessed that it would be shattered by something so incredible and brutal.

Thanks to Taleron these old and yet new memories were free …

Kai felt his muscles tensing and the mental pain converting into physical agony as well…Taleron had set fire on something that he truly wasn´t able to control much longer…

Old memories and new memories started to hit him in flashbacks he couldn´t lock away or control anymore…it was a huge flood of pictures that tortured him again and again.

Why all that? What had he done that he had to suffer such a fate? Kai didn´t know if he should scream or not, if he should be angry or not, if he should cry or not.

Best he would die this very moment. But of course…this won´t be very helpful.

He heard Talerons mordant voice cutting through the dense curtain of horror, guilt, regret, anger, hate and sadness.

"Well, Kai? I think you´ll understand now, don´t you? His Divine Shadow always had his own special way to convince people. How is it to know how you became such a monster?"

Kai winced, but he kept silent. Too many thoughts ran through his mind, too many sensations…anxiety, desperation, pain…anger. Way- outs arose:…giving up, continuing…

Taleron watched Kai´s tensed body, his fight with everything going on…he waved at his assistant to bring him other instruments for questioning…if this BrunnenG needed something more to get convinced about the senselessness of his resistance…well, he had still something up his sleeve…the old way to get people to talk. His patience was used up…, and he wanted answers – now!

"Give up!" Taleron hissed. "Then I´ll spare you the rest!"

Kai´s chest raised and fell heavily, it was difficult for him to concentrate on reality…but he clearly felt the sudden coldness of a blade on his skin. "It´s astonishing how those marks of your time as assassin had disappeared…or healed."

Kai felt the blade wandering up from his belly to his chest.

"But despite…now you have so many vulnerable human sides. I´m asking myself if your old condition isn´t something you want to have back right now…no thoughts, no pain…the chance to kill me?"

Kai still didn´t react. His eyes were still closed firmly and they trembled slightly with strain. Talerons gaze wandered over to the table where Kai´s jacket and the brace lay.

"Maybe with the brace? Why have you kept it, if your past was that horrible you don´t want to reminded to it, mh?" Taleron pressed the tip of the blade a bit down above the place where his heart was.

Kai breathed in sharply when he felt the movement…a part of him cried out for the release that would come with it. Once the tip would cut his skin right there and penetrate his heart…a final release from all this agony would be the result.

But nearly the same time a part of him begged for this favor…another part intervened with the ice-cold remark that everything would be lost if he was about to give up right here and now… hadn´t he already sacrificed too much to give up? To pass the game to Taleron, who would surely destroy the DarkZone as soon as he gave in?

Desperately Kai tried to get control over the inner strife between what he wanted and what he wanted to prevent, over his sensations and his flood of memories. It was like looking at a mountain so high you never were able to reach its top. Kai´s mouth was dry and he pressed his lips together, his eyelids so tightly closed that he was able to see a red gleam.

_And then suddenly the world changed…_


	40. Unleashed wrath

Chapter 39

**Unleashed wrath**

The world seemed to stop around him….

And then there was suddenly the familiar sensation of advertised visions he had received from the prophetess before. He knew that it had only been a question of time until he would receive such pictures again…but why of all points in time now?

He felt the pictures pouring into his mind unstoppable – replacing his current torturing memories…

He saw again a battle in space…more clearly now than before. The homeworlds of the Arcannea: Sha´ra, T´uara and Arcan´s glowing with fire in the darkness of space…like his own planet millennia ago. Kai knew that this weren´t real events…but events that could come true…if he gave up, if he wasn´t able to escape the sways of Taleron. The prophetess had a wonderful sense to remind him to that at this point in time. Worse enough that he barely felt the energy to act. The mental pain, caused by the ex-Biovesirs records had drained him of all the strength.

Don´t give up he heard a low voice in his mind. You now know what they have done to you…how they humiliated you, His Shadow as well as Taleron.

No doubt, it was the prophetess. Again she wanted to help him…and again he wasn´t sure if he wanted that help, but he tried to listen to her words.

Don´t you feel anger when you´re thinking about all those events? she asked on…another flood of pictures hit him…this time all very familiar ones: He saw his home, destroyed by His Shadow. His friends…murdered as well as himself; then he saw again what they had done to him, what he had become, what he had done…

Kai, use the strongest weapon humanity disposes of…aggressiveness and anger in the face of unfairness…they were locked up too long…free them!

I cannot. it was the first what came into his mind when he watched at all this.

You have to…fulfill this prophecy and don´t let the sacrifices we all have given be senseless… surrender yourself to what your anger yields…to the strength that will be born out of it, it´s the only chance…for you _and_ for us, _please_ Kai!

Kai pressed his lips together until they whitened when the intensity of the pictures and the sensations with it increased. He felt the urge to release what waited behind all of it…he felt the wrath inside him increasing…but was it the right way to let the tiny little rest of control slide away with a release of this purest and most primitive sensation of all?

Was it right to admit this dark part of him to take control and take revenge for everything he had to suffer in the past and present? A suffering that resulted from exact the deeds this dark part was responsible for? It sounded all too odd to him.

What would happen if he gave up a certain amount of control over the firewall that held this dark part captive?

Once freed, the assassin programming in combination with the insect-DNA of his blood would be a very explosive and dangerous mixture…not only to the enemies around him, also to himself. He had experienced it shortly after the surgery.

Inwardly Kai shook his head…how dare could the prophetess demand something like that of him?

Because you have no other choice! came the sharp reply through the darkness. You will never be complete until you accept this part…it´s upon you! The prophetess´ presence vanished as sudden as it had appeared.

It was more than clear to him that he had to act...there was not much more time to waste.

Kai groaned inwardly. The conflict tore him apart, the fresh memories hit him every second, telling him the he was a victim as well as an offender.

Why, why all that?

Nothing was certain for him anymore...not only an offender, but also a victim. His heart wanted to cry, what by all the gods had he done that he deserved that?

He hadn´t an answer, and he doubted that the universe itself had an answer to that. But it didn´t matter.

The prophetess was right. He had no choice. Liar. In their first meeting she had told him the opposite...well,not really. The other options wasn´t really an option for him. Some humans were doomed to have no choice because their conscience would never let them choose another option.

It was so ironic.

He gave in and allowed the beast he so feared to emerge from the depths where it had been buried for such a long time.

An ice-cold anger awoke with it and spread through him. He felt it crawling through every nerve, every muscle and every cell, he felt how it made him stronger the second he let it into his heart.

Terrified and troubled his first intension was to stop it…he felt like drowning, the water was rising and rising and suddenly there was nowhere air to breathe. He felt a tremendous fear to lose control over the dark strong part that now arose...

Kai gulped inwardly.

Control...he had control over it. Since the day he was changed again…since the day the Arcannea helped him to protect himself from this evil side, he had control.

There was no need to fear this side of him. It was in the end a part of him.

The prophetess was right…he needed his two sides…the dark part as well as the other one.

He had to stop fighting against this dark part. More than that…he had to welcome and accept it, without it he never had the chance to overcome his current conflict and without it he was not able to fight against Taleron.

He felt the faltering firewall strengthen when he directed his thoughts on this…once he pushed his fear back and opened his mind for more acceptance, a new option appeared suddenly…

He felt his skills broaden with new options. All of his senses sharpened and his thoughts cleared up, and he knew know how to handle the bond that held this dark part under control. He was able to decrease or increase the firewalls strength and therefor its influence on the protoblood - on pure behalf of his will.

It freed more potential than the already simple increased skills he had used from his assassin potential on their way here.

A dangerous potential that reminded him a lot to the half-mad assassin Stan and Xev accidentally were confronted with centuries ago. Dangerous because of the fact that there was now the additional part of his emotions. And these emotions were understandable concentrated wrath at the moment.

His body relaxed suddenly and he opened his eyes to look at Taleron.

Taleron wasn´t prepared to what followed. He made a step back when he saw Kai´s eye color changing from his normal hazel tone to yellow.

"I kept it, because I need something to kill you with!" Kai answered in a voice that would have sent shivers down everyone's back. Talerons attitude flickered with insecurity shortly, but then he got his control back. He was suddenly a bit unsure about Kai´s sudden change in behavior.

He decided not to take any risk…too much reminded him suddenly to a gone mad assassin.

"Kill him!" he ordered his assistant and handed him the knife. "But…," the man objected. "No buts…or it´s your turn to die just before he does!" Taleron hissed and walked over to the console where he was able to activate a magnetic field that would kill everyone on the table and close by, once he pushed the button. It was the last security, if his assistant failed.

Talerons assistant drew slowly close to Kai to fulfill his master's command. What should happen? This man was tied…

Kai on the other hand ignored the assistant completely. He only stared full of hate at Taleron…

His concentration split between the sudden radiating hate that came from this dangerous human fire inside him, and the listening to his more cool part: the deadly Divine Assassin programming.

It started suddenly to support him with more information he needed to develop a strategy – like if it had never stopped working. Kai wasn´t surprised. He was aware from the beginning that everything he once had been taught and programmed with was still there. Now finally it was usable again. He got complete access to it again. It seemed that every limitation was gone when he had allowed his dark assassin side to return.

It was odd, somehow strange to access this very old data that served for such a terrible purpose before…but deadly comforting that he knew he was able to rely on everything that was saved on this chip.

"I've killed mothers with their babies. I've killed great politicians, proud young warriors and revolutionaries. I've killed the evil, the good, the intelligent, the weak - and the beautiful. I have done this in the service of His Divine Shadow and his predecessors as long as I wasn´t able to remember who I was. But I regained my identity…and I fulfilled the prophecy of the Time Prophet…as hard as His Shadow tried to make a mockery out of it by trying to made me obeying his commands. But one thing you should know Taleron: His attempt to change me into a Divine Assassin made it in the end impossible to break my free will. With the protoblood cursing through my no longer human veins - my decarbonized body, I lost all humanity, all abilities to act like a human. I lost my ability to feel….pain, guilt, remorse…there was nothing he could do to me to make me break…it was too late.

His Shadow and Biovesirs like you have done enough to me…have caused enough pain to many people…I will not admit that you continue with it as long as I live…and as long as this one BrunnenG is alive…no insect will survive in this universe! Ask His Shadow when you meet him!" Kai said in an icy cold statement.

Taleron laughed again, but it didn´t sound very certain. The glittering in Kai´s yellow eyes really irritated him…how could he suddenly possess the marks of a gone mad assassin?

The assistant, who had reached the BrunnenG in the meantime, was about to push the knife down, but the end of Kai´s statement was also the begin of his unstoppable going-into-action plan. Kai suddenly straightened up and tore the bonds apart as if they were only made of paper. He ignored the knife that of course penetrated his chest. Instead he grabbed the man with his now free arms and threw him with bone-breaking force across the room.

Taleron froze a moment in surprise…but he knew that he had no time to loose if Kai was able to free himself from these strong bonds. He hurried to activate the magnetic field.

Completely unimpressed Kai pulled out the knife and threw it at the second assistant, who fell dying to the floor at once. Kai didn´t wait until his self-healing strength had finished its deeds…he jumped from the table to avoid any contact with the magnetic field that Taleron had successfully activated now.

"What the…" Taleron stated when he saw Kai acting like that. He couldn´t believe that. This wasn´t possible. Kai couldn´t still be a Divine Assassin! But some of his behavior was unfortunately very similar…Taleron didn´t hesitate any longer. He would have time to think about that later…he had to get out of here! Fortunately the door was much closer to him than Kai. He threw a startled look at the slender BrunnenG, who stood at the opposite of the room, glaring darkly at him with baled fists. He nearly could feel the anger and wrath radiating from him. Oh no, at the moment it was better to retreat…

"Stan wasn´t able to tell you the whole story…he didn´t know it," Kai explained in a stressed voice. "But he was right when he assumed that my life was almost over again. But thanks to the Arcannea there was a way back…a way back to kill you once and for all. Something I should have done 4000 years ago!"

Taleron gulped, but regained his countenance. "You are and you will forever be a creature of His Divine Shadow…look at yourself…you might be more human than before…but this human part will be your death someday…and this day will be soon!" Taleron said godawful. Kai pressed his lips together and started to move into Talerons direction.

But the Biovesir of course knew when to leave, and he did that in a very fast way. He knew that he wasn´t able to stop Kai at the moment…so he needed more time. He jumped through the cell door and locked it securely – hoping that this would stop him for a while.

How by all dark forces could that have happened? He hadn´t foreseen or planned this outcome!

Talerons narrow escape now released Kai´s full potential of sympathetic emotions he had been able to keep under the surface for a while. But now it was over.

Ancient anger and rage – held back for 6000 years only by the circumstance that Kai wasn´t able to express them - made its way out.

He had more reason than anyone else in this whole universe to be angry.

But even he hadn´t thought that he was able to feel hate and wrath with the same intensity he was able to love.

When Taleron fled out the room and locked the door, Kai let the hot wave of rage, which was dammed over such a long time, out in an angry scream.

He jumped after Taleron and attacked the door with such a sudden furious energy that it burst under his attack. Kai stumbled back a few meters until he felt the table behind him.

It was enough! They had done enough to him! Started with His Shadow, the Biovesirs and now Taleron… it was more than he was able to carry.

Kai breathed in sharply to get back control over his emotions and his of anger shaking body…but it was almost senseless. He knew that it would be better to think in the way the ice-cold assassin part would do, but he clearly felt that his human part was not ready to admit that.

Kai was aware that he was closer to insanity than anytime before…but could anyone who knew about what he had gone through adjudge him for that?

Surely not.

He knew that this pure wrath would allow him to hunt Taleron down…to stop him from everything what he might was up to next. And not only for his own sake and satisfaction he wanted to see Taleron dead…no, he was here for another reason. Another reason that would save the people of the DarkZone and may fulfill another prophecy.

This was the crucial point where at least the current emotional chaos was calmed down a bit – he needed the aggression, but he had to keep the balance too.

His gaze shifted around and focused on the small table where his personal stuff was put on before they had tied him to the table. His brace lay on top, where Taleron had dropped it after looking at it. Abrupt he pushed away from the table and walked snappy over to recollect his weapon. He didn´t waste a second thought on his jacket, without any further stop he walked through the destroyed door into the gangway.

He had an assumption where Taleron wanted to go to. There was only one place in this galaxy where he might was safe for some time: his fleet. There he would be able to summon up enough time to end his plans…something Kai wanted to stop. And there was only one place in this palace where Taleron was able to start with his departure: the control room.

Kai knew from Shereens floor plan, that this control room was located two levels higher…ground floor. The prison of course was built as far down as possible…

Kai walked down the corridor…straight towards the next elevator. None of the by Taleron alarmed guards survived an encountering with him. The with insect-DNA modified palace guards were without chance against his sanguinary wrath. Like millennia ago, he left a trace of death behind…all the way up to the original palace.


End file.
